


You Showed Me How to Love

by mizufallsfromkumo



Series: You Taught Me [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Culture, Alien Planet, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Farm/Ranch, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Identity Issues, Illnesses, Implied Sexual Content, Kuron (Voltron) Deserves Better, Kuron (Voltron)-centric, Kuron is Ryou (Voltron), Kuron is Shiro (Voltron)'s Clone, Kuron is a soft boy, Lance (Voltron) is a Good Boyfriend, Lance (Voltron) is a Good Friend, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Mentions of Other Voltron Paladins, Original Character(s), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Prequel, Sick Lance (Voltron), Soft Boys, Time Skips, implied gore, these tags are mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 06:23:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 22,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17844122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: “I’m an evil creation.”  He stated weakly. “Therefore I’m evil.”A silence washed of them for a moment.And for a second, he thought he nailed Lance with something he couldn’t argue away.  Or disagree with. He found the one thing that would make Lance see it all so clearly.  Something that for once might win him the argument.And for a half second...it’sscaredhim.“Do you want to hurt me?”  Lance asked suddenly.





	You Showed Me How to Love

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, Yay, this is my 100th fic on AO3! I am so happy. I wanted to get this up and had it be there. I held of some other stuff because I wanted this part.
> 
> And yes, it's a thrid part of this series! And it's a Pre-quel to the whole series. Exploring just over the first 2 years Lance and Ryou were on Gran'djo. So some scenes take place between the begin part of You Taught Me How to be Brave. But I will post a time line in the end notes, but it sort of time skips about.
> 
> Also the first three parts might be frustrating because Ryou hasn't selected his name and he's not calling himself Shiro. He doesn't have a name, so he is just 'He'.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

When he woke up and opened his eyes, he knew two things.

One, his right arm hurt.

No, not his arm...his right...shoulder hurt.  Because he didn’t have a right arm if he remembered correctly.  But it is definitely his right  _ shoulder _ and what was  _ left _ of his right arm, that hurts.  

It stung, burned, and throb with pain completely in tune with his heart.  

Completely uncomfortable and wrong feeling.

And he half remembered what happened to make it feel that way.  Moments, whispers of breathless ‘sorry’s and smells linger enough for him to piece together what happened enough.  Must of blacked out from the pain at some point, because he can feel a sort of cloth wrapped around the top part of his body.

He can’t see it.

He was in too much pain to anything other than stare at a ceiling he’s not sure he remembered or not.  He’s pretty sure he doesn’t recognize it, but it’s similar enough to not be too alarming or account to simply being moved from one place to another.  

And that was more than okay.

The other thing he knew was...he wasn’t who he thought himself to be.

Which meant he didn’t know  _ who _ he was.  Or  _ what _ he was.

Other than a fake and a lie. 

A copy of who he thought he had been.  Created to be a tool and an unknowing puppet for the Galra.  Likely with the sole purpose of bring down Voltron from the inside.  Forced to betray all his friends.

He doesn’t know what hurt more.  

His right shoulder, or that fact that he had been right for not feeling like himself.

But for once, he...felt... _ more _ like himself.  

Whatever that was.

There was no pressure behind his forehead, or just in his skull in general.  In fact, no  _ her _ at all in his head.  Not one little bit. Because when there hadn’t been a headache...he realized now, there was still  _ something _ .  Some kind of connection that was no long there.  Like he had been cut free of it completely.

And it was  _ liberating _ .

He needed to tell Lance.

Oh...maybe he knew three things upon waking up.

His right shoulder hurt, he wasn’t who thought he was, and he needed to tell Lance.

_ Shit, _ where  _ was _ Lance?

He tried to move to sit up.  

But quickly found moving his right shoulder did nothing but hurt.  And there wasn’t anything to support him either to getting up, either.  Cause he told Lance to cut off, and Lance with perhaps the smallest of fraction of hesitation had done what he was told.  Bringing an old ax they found on the land to cut the Galra arm at the elbow. But the connection had been gone then at that cut.  But he had still fears...so they did it again when they had...more preparation time. 

So there was nothing there to really use anyway.

He tired to move his left side...but found his hand encased in something warm.

Turning slowly to look to his left, he found his one hand held loosely in two tanner ones. 

Lance was curled up on the floor beside him...or rather the small mat he was on.  Securely asleep as he held his hand close to his body like he was a soft animal for him to cuddle with in sleep.  His warm breath brushing lightly over his finger tips. The other was dressed in just the undersuit of his Paladin arm, the armor plating...somewhere probably.  

The left arm of the undersuit was mostly gone from the arm.  

And he could see there was thick tied bandage around his bicep, where Haggar had activated his hand and grabbed Lance.  Burning though everything, until Lance’s pained scream caused something inside him to snap and make the connection a brief two way street of information.  But the bandage was too nice to have been done by Lance himself in the old house they found.

How…

“Ah...you’re awake.”  A feminine voice said to his right.

He turned quickly to the sound.  Despite the fact that it sound old and kind, and one hundred percent not a threat.  Not like he could face one well in his current state of pain. Which flared with vengeance when he turned, causing him to hiss.

“Easy now,”  The voice continued, as his eyes settle on a humanoid figure moving to sit beside him.  Their skin a rusted sort of tan color, with dark brown stripes on their face. And soft fading pastel color of teal for their hair...with two dark cat ears a top their head.  “You’ve been through a lot, no need to hurt yourself unnecessarily, I’m not going to hurt you. My name is Tat’ik, I am the town’s healer.”

He doesn’t say anything in the cat-woman alien settled beside him.

Particularly too busy trying to work out if he was delusional with pain.

Tat’ik gently reached up rest her hand on his forehead.  Easily brushing past the white fluff of hair that felt sticky against his forehead.  His hands pleasantly feel warm as let it rest against his forehead. She hummed lightly, before she pulled her hand away.

“It appears your fever’s broken.”  Tat’ik said gently as she put her hands in her lap.  “You’re friend will be happy to learn that when he wakes up.  Had him worried for a good quintant and a half. He hasn’t left your side since he managed to bring you to my care wing.”

“...Stubborn.”  He said in a bad attempt at a sentence.

He frowned slightly at the sound of his voice.  Slightly weak from a combination of yelling and lack of use probably.  

But, Tat’ik lightly patted at his chest in understanding, before reaching into a pouch to pull out a few leaves.  “Here, chew these,” She instructed as he carefully held the leaves out to his lips. “They’re help smooth your throat and keep you hydrated.”

He hesitantly took them into his mouth. Finding them to be a pleasant mint and lemony taste on his tongue, before he started to chew slowly.  The leaves turned out to hold a collection of juices and fluids then they originally appeared. All of them starting to feel like they were starting to dissolve slowly in his mouth as he chewed.  But the favor never fading once as he did so.

“I never had the heart to kick him out.”  Tat’ik stated, her grayish eyes flicking over to glance at Lance.  “I am glad to see him finally sleeping deeply. Usually he wakes up a bit whenever I came to check on you.”  She stated with a small gentle grin on her old looking face. “He save your life, cauterizing your arm like he did.”

He turned to looked at Lance curled up on his left.  Watching him as he took in a deep sleep filled breath and his hands gripped loosely as his hand for a second, before they eased back into the barely there hold.  

He smiled gently as he let grabbed one of Lance’s hands more securely.

Shifting slowly so he could roll on his side a bit.

“I don’t believe much of the story he told me about what happened.”  Tat’ik stated behind him softly. The words caused him to tense instantly.  “As well crafted as it was...It was not without factual flaws. But it is not my place say as such.  Nor do either of your intentions seem to be anything other than good towards the other.” She continued as she patted his side lightly again.  “Rest now, I will be back to check on you a few vargas.”

He could hear her shuffle around to get up, then padding away.

He waited until he couldn’t hear her moving around any more, until he curled up closer to Lance.  Ignoring the pain that course through his body at the action. He didn’t really care about it. 

Because Lance was still there

“Thank you, Lance.”  He breathed against Lance’s skin.

* * *

“This is the last vial of painkiller that I grabbed from the Castleship when we left.”  Lance stated gentle as he held up the small vial of a blue liquid. His shoulder slouching a bit at the words.   “All that’s left after this...is three sedative vials.”

He knew Lance had filled a reasonably sized satchel back full of vials when he took him away that night.  A mix of sedatives and varying levels of painkillers. Smartly thinking it was easier to have a sedated him in the back of Lotor’s ship as he took him away, than well...one in a crippling state of pain.

But most of them have been used in their first week in the house.

Honestly it was probably some miracle Lance didn’t accidentally kill him all the times he had begged for more to make it stop.  He had felt that she couldn’t see well when they flowed through his system, couldn’t do  _ anything _ well really.  And he had craved that feeling.  Lance had no medical training to speak of, let alone any real true idea of how the Altean medicine worked on the human systems.

So most of them a been wasted on him.

Now they both need it. 

And their limited supply had dwindled into nothing in a matter of a few days since Tat’ik released them.  Saw that they were safely returned to the abandoned house they found when they first arrived. Made sure they knew how to care for their bandages and change them.  Generally just not get themselves infected by something in their house. Before making sure they knew how to take medicine she gave them. 

Tat’ik’s medicine was effective, but not to the level of Altean medicine.

“You should use it.”  He stated simply from his spot on the floor.

Lance made a loud sound of disagreement as he snatched up the dispenser gun thing from the counter of...the kitchen area...place.  Frowning at him sternly as he removed the empty vial from the last time the used it. 

“I have a....decent size burn on my left arm.”  Lance stated with a huff as he made his way over to him.  “You’re missing a whole  _ arm _ .  So, I think you need it more than me.”  

“Lance.”  He warned as he other Paladin said down beside him.

“Shiro.”  Lance returned.

“I’m not--”

“Yeah, I know, you keep reminding me.  But look, until we figure out what do about all this, or we think up some other name, I’m calling you Shiro.”  Lance snapped firmly as he slid the vial into gun thing. Then he held out of his hand for his arm. “Now come on, you need this more than me.”  

“I hurt you.”  He as he turned away from Lance.

“Yeah, so did I.”  Lance countered with an annoyed sounding sigh.  Which cause him to turn and look at him. “I cut off your arm, which to be fair you told me to do, but I  _ still _ did it.  And I cauterized it after.”

He growled lowly at Lance as he looked at him.

“What, if your going to make this a competition for why you don’t deserve this, be prepared to lose.”  Lance stated like it didn’t matter. “I got you beat. So just give up and take the painkiller, Shiro.” Lance huffed, not once flinching at the glare he was given at the use of the name.  “The local medicine actually does the job for my injury. So there is no use making this any kind of big deal.”

He frowned deeply at Lance, pulling his arm away from the Lance’s hand.

He turned away when Lance’s shoulder dropped at the action.  A worried looking frown taking hold of the other’s expression.

Wishing for a second that the other would see he doesn’t  _ deserve _ how nice he is being.  That his niceness is being wasted.  That he worried less about his mental state, and worried more about where the real Shiro was.  Or what it all meant for him to even exist.

He was thankful for it.

But he doesn’t deserve it.

Lance sighed sharply beside him.  “Okay, Mr. I’m-Going-to-be-Difficult-Today, how this...you get half the vial, I get the other half.”  Lance huffed sharply, leaning over into his line of slightly with a growing grin he can never hate. “Final compromise, or neither of us use it.”

“Lance.”  He tried, turning back to Lance.

“We share or we don’t use it.”  Lance repeated firmly. “Only choices.”

And damn Lance is good.

Presenting him with an offer he  _ knows _ he will take.  Because he wanted Lance to use the painkiller.  He wasn’t going to stay on his high horse of not taking for Lance’s sake if it meant he didn’t get either.  

He glared at Lance a bit, “Fine.”

He held out his left arm for Lance.  Who, of course gently takes hold of it, with the sweetest and politest thank you, that also felt like a slap on the wrist.  For being stupidly stubborn when there was no reason to be.

Carefully Lance wiped a spot on his arm with probably the last of their sanitizing wipes.  Then presses the little gun thing against his arm. There was a small hiss and a quick jab as he pulled the trigger to administer the painkiller.

One one thousand.

Two one thousand.

Three one thou- _ Wait! _

“There all done.”  Lance stated cheerily beside him.

He whipped around quickly to see that the vial in the little gun thing is empty.  His eyes widening as he realized Lance used the whole thing on him. Totally doing the opposite of what they agreed to.

He tricked him!

Lance easily got up from beside him.  The satisfied look on his face telling him that had been the plan the whole time.  He played him. So easily he had played him into something he didn’t deserve for...what?

“Lance!”  He snapped angrily.  “You used it all on me!”

“Oops.”  Lance sounded completely unsurprised or bothered by the statement.  He dropped the gun down on the counter again. “My mistake.” He stated airily as he grabbed a small container of painkiller Tat’ik had given them.  Turning around as he scooped some into mouth with his index finger. Suppressing the shiver that ran down his spine at the favor. “Won’t happen again.”

“You should have done that.”  He snapped angrily.

“Ugh...yeah you’re right, it’s totally better with those cracker things.”  Lance stated as he glanced down at the container of greenish goop. “God that’s awful on it’s own.”

Quickly the younger looked around their kitchen.  Before he spotted the fresh loaf of bread the neighboring farm had given them the day before when come to “visit” them.  It was a clear attempt to snoop about what was happening, but she was nice and came with a collection of baked goods, and a few other food items.  All of which they were thankful for.

Lance quickly tore off a piece and shoved half of it into his mouth hurriedly.  Munching at it heavily as he started to walk back of to him again. Kindly holding out the small loaf for him to take a piece as well.

But he just took to glaring up at him.

Yet, Lance still held out the bread for him to take some.

“You shouldn’t have given me all of the painkiller, Lance.”  He huffed up at the other.

“Why?”  Lance asked nonchalantly with a mouthful of bread.

“Because I don’t deserve it.”

“Why?” 

“Because I’m not Shiro!  I’m a clone of him. One that was made by Haggar and the Galra to trick you and all of Voltron.  I don’t deserve it.”

“Oh, it’s time for round seven of this argument.”  Lance huffed after swallowing, with a roll of his eyes.  He plopped down on the floor in front of him. “Sorry, didn’t look at the clock to realize this was happening again.”

“Lance.”  He warned weakly.

“No, please, continue with how you don’t deserve general human kindness, so I can call you idiot and wrong.  Then we can just move on with the evening.” Lance groaned. “Eat some bread too while you’re at it.” 

“Lance, this is serious!”

“Oh, super aware of that my friend.”

“I’m not your friend.”

“No, you’re right you’re not.  You’re just a clone of a my friend, who thought he was my friend.  But now that he knows he’s a clone of my friend, he’s no long a person that I can care about.”  Lance grumbled pointedly. “Despite the fact that he has no right to tell me what or how to feel.  And a really dumb stupid idiot for thinking that.”

He sighed loudly in frustration.  

He brought his left hand up to his face.  Pinching at the bridge of his nose for a moment an effort to relieve some tension.  It doesn’t work. So he just shot his hand up to run through his hair.

“I’m an evil creation.”  He stated weakly. “Therefore I’m evil.”

A silence washed of them for a moment.

And for a second, he thought he nailed Lance with something he couldn’t argue away.  Or disagree with. He found the one thing that would make Lance see it all so clearly.  Something that for once might win him the argument.

And for a half second...it’s  _ scared _ him.

“Do you want to hurt me?”  Lance asked suddenly.

“What?”  He asked confused.

“Do you  _ want _ to hurt me?”  Lance asked again, more pointed and demanding.

“No.  God, no!”  He stated hurriedly.  Quickly reaching out for Lance, resting an arm on hand on his knee.  “I don’t want to hurt you. I  _ never _ have wanted or probably ever will want to.  Not in any way, shape, or form. Why would ask...”

Lance smiled at him gently.

“You’re not evil, Shiro.”  He stated gently as he rested a hand on his knee.  Holding up the other to stop him while he glared at the same. “I know, I know.  But arguable, if you were evil, you would want to hurt me. But you don’t, you never have, and when you did you apologized as soon as you could manage.”

“Lance…”

“Look, you were created by an evil crazy witch lady from an old evil galactic empire.  Sucks...but not much you can do about your parents sometimes.” Lance said easily with a shrug and a small chuckle.  “But that doesn’t make you evil. It makes you...this.” He added with a gesture at all of him.

He can’t help the small smile that blooms on his lips a bit at the words.

Sometimes he hates how easy it is for Lance brush aside everything it feels regarding who he is and make it feel pointless.  Like every part of him reasons there should be to turn his back on him is the biggest ‘so…?’ in the books.

As nice as it is…

There were still other things around it.  

“Why are you so okay with this?”  He asked after a moment.

“Okay with what?”  Lance asked easily.

Even though he is quite sure Lance knows what he is asking.  The other was just trying to make it seem like he thought he was asking about the house.  Or the planet that they were on. Or like three other things happening around him.

“The whole clone thing.  How are you so  _ okay _ with it?”  He asked as he looked down at his lap.  “Aren’t you worried about where the  _ real  _ Shiro is?  Or that the Galra have...I don’t know...more things like me out there in space?  How are you just...so okay with it all?”

It was something he always wondered...but never asked.

Afraid of what the answer might be.

“I’m not... _ okay _ with it.”  Lance admitted after a handful of moments.  “It’s a lot, and yeah though questions keep up at night most of the time. But…”

The other paused for a moment and sighed.

Causing him to look up at the sound.

Lance moved to place the bread on the folded sheet laid out to on the ground beside them.  Mindful of the old bandages and cleaning clothes that were half on and half off the sheet. They had tossed them haphazardly when they were changing bandages for the day.

After another moment, Lance turned looked at him.  “Did you ever take Commander Mendez’s Ethics class?”  He asked suddenly.

“Admittedly no...but I have some memories about it.  Shiro didn’t take it, but Adam did...he didn’t like it.” He said, as Shiro’s memories of Adam complaining non-stop about how hard it was to write an essay.  

Especially when there was no right answer to the topic.  No one right way to approach it, because he could argue himself out of one way with another.  An endless cycle that had just caused Shiro to chuckle at his misery. Cause  _ You’re smart, Adam, if there’s no right answer...just flip a coin or something.  _ Ultimately it had gotten Shiro kicked out the room.

“Well I took it,”  Lance stated with a small huff and a roll of his eyes.  “And I liked it...but that might be because Commander Mendez actually helped me with English and test taking in general.  That’s another thing, though. But for one of the essays, we had to write about cloning and if it’s ethical and if a clone is a person or not.

“Everyone kind of picked a lane and stayed in it...I didn’t.  I argued that it in a way it depended on the purpose and intention of clone...and if a clone knew they were a clone or not.”  Lance continued, moving to shift a little closer to him. “Like, let’s say we used cloning to help people live longer. Like growing organs or what not.  Not a bad use of it. And if just parts of the human body, no harm no foul.

“Okay, same thing, only it’s whole people, suddenly not so much.  Okay, maybe, not so bad if their kind of braindead.” Lance shrugged out  easily. “It’s not great, cause their braindead, but they can’t think for themselves, just human shaped organ bags.  There’s no freedom of thought to be like…’I’m a person with thoughts and feelings even though my purpose is x, y, z.’  Because with thoughts and emotions...that’s what makes us human, so even if they knew they were a clone...they would can still develop wants and dreams.

“So yeah...just ethically not great….  Honestly ever giving anything thoughts and emotions, the ethics of it all really flies out the window.  But still not as bad as if they don’t know they’re a clone. Because they think they’re someone now. They are a really person then...doesn’t matter if they share the exact DNA as someone.”  Lance stated solidly as he poked at his hand, like it made a point. “They’re a person with thoughts and feelings, doesn’t matter what purpose they were made for, or who made them. They don’t know they are a clone, and therefore, they are a person and everything becomes pretty unethical after that.  

“That’s the boat you’re pretty solidly in.  You thought you were Shiro...you found out you’re not. This...is all just some identity crisis, you are  _ totally _ allowed to be having.  But, you are still a person, one I still care about...just not the one you thought you were. You’re not evil, just made by evil unethical aliens that forced you do things.  And that’s how I see it. That’s how a rationalize everything and come out being ‘okay’ with it.” Lance finished.

“Damn,”  He admitted.  

Rather impressed by the whole thing.  Especially with how reasonable it all sound. 

“You wrote that all for a paper?”

Lance nodded a bit sheepishly.  “It was like 200 words over the limit...but I still got an A on it despite that...and it was the top grade in the class.  Not to mention Mendez wanted to present it to one of his upper level situational thinking class...because I made some points tha were good for something they had to do....”

“Damn.”  He said again.

Because he remembered Adam struggling to meet the  _ minimum _ word count in that class for essays.  Thumping his head miserably on the desk for like fifty more words.  Wondering how anyone would even even dream of reaching the maximum.

“I also kind of wiped the floor with everyone when we debated out it in class the following week.”  Lance admitted.

“Oh, so you a Master Debater too?”  He teased lightly.

Lance blinked at him like his brain stopped working for second at the words coming out of his mouth.  And it need to fully restart, because all he could do was make a slight unintelligent sound for a moment or two.  Until it all come back to him.

“Not falling for that one big guy.”  Lance returned with a growing grin, before he moved to get up.  He snatched the bread up, tearing off a piece and tossing it at him harshly.  “Not now, not ever. Nice try though.”

He smiled as he barely caught the chunk of bread against his chest without falling backwards.  He chuckled to himself for a moment before he took a bite of it.

“Thanks, Lance, that...helps.”  He stated after he swallowed.

“Any time, my friend.”  Lance smiled out as he placed the bread away.

* * *

The weather was pleasant, like it always had been since they arrived weeks ago. There had hardly been a  _ day _ of anything that looked like bad weather.  It was all gorgeous and lovely. Never too hot and never too cold.  Perfect as always.

And he was miserable.

Not because he was starting to feel the sun above burn his skin.  Or sweat drip down his back as he just sat in the middle of the sun.

But because he felt like he was five year old again…

Which admittedly, he never actually  _ had _ been...even though he remembers it happening twice.  Because Matthew Holt was an asshole of a friend. But that wasn’t the point.  Not to mention the whole thought process was confusing to start with.

But as he stared down at the squiggly clumsy lines he done in the dirt, and frowned.

His handwriting hadn’t been that bad since he was five...since  _ Shiro _ was five.

And admittedly it was done with his left hand instead of his right one.  

Because well Lance took that hand apart then trekked what they couldn’t use for  _ something _ a four days walk away from town and hid it somewhere.  So he didn’t have it any more to use. Not that he exactly wanted it back though.

It wasn’t like he  _ needed _ to learn to write with his left hand.  No one on the planet is going to probably care...cause they can’t read anything he understands how to write at the moment.  Though, Lance and him are working on learning to read the Gran’djian language to get by while they stay there for a bit.

They were still admittedly trying to figure out what to do about everything.

Except the idea that sending out a distress signal would be a bad idea.  Especially from Lotor’s ship, which would no doubt have the range they would need to reach the Castleship...wherever it was.  But in turn it would also broadcast to all the Galra where they were. 

So, not a good idea.

And using the ship to return to the Castleship...had a similar problem.

But all they’d figured out so far.

However, he doesn’t care.  

Learning to write with his left hand was something to do.  Since his arm was still healing. And there is only so much he can do to help Lance with.  

Not to mention if felt a lot more productive that just watching Lance.  In whatever he was doing. From trying to fix one thing or another or dragging brush and cleared plants to the ditch where they parked Lotor’s ship.  Keeping it hidden while he figured out what to about it. He suggested building something over it, but what and how...was a little lost on them at the moment.

“I think...I figured out...what to do.”  Lance’s voice suddenly panted out heavily in front of him.  The sound causing him to look up, as Lance stopped in front of him panting and sweating from lugging something over to the ditch  “To hide...the ship. We build walls...on sides” he continued breathlessly. Holding up his hands to show what he meant “...floor on top...then barn.”  

“O...kay.”  He said in return.  “What if we need it though?”

“Bye bye...floor roof...off we go.”  Lance panted out. “I can’t keep...dumping things...one it...to hide it from any visitors...To exhausing.”

“Well that will work I guess.”  He said as Lance moved to seat heavily beside him.  Before he just flopped on the ground. “I-- _ Shiro _ had an uncle that owned a construction company, he use to work there for him in the summer sometimes.  So I know some things this might help.”

“Aunt did renovations from like the ground up.”  Lance said as his breathing started to even out a bit.  “Built a shit ton of back decks and stuff with my cousins and siblings.  Locals can probably help with a roof if we get to that.”

He hummed in agreement. 

A silence pasted over them.  Filled only with the sound of Lance’s breath evening out beside him.  And the chirping chatter of the day time birds of the planet, and buzz of the few insects.

“So we’re staying here?”  He asked after a moment.

“For now.”  Lance answered as he moved to rest himself up on his elbows.  “Unless you want to leave and do somewhere else, or go back. It’s up to you.  I stole you from med bay before all this clone crap happened...and it’s a lot...so you get the say on what we do.  What your comfortable with us doing. I’ll back you no matter what, you know that.”

“No, I don’t mind staying...I like it here.”  He admitted as a gentle breeze swept past them.  “It’s peaceful.”

He heard Lance hum beside him in agreement

No war.

No Galra.

No nothing.

It was nice, he didn’t think he’d ever get to feel something like this again.

Even though the threat of being found still lingers.  It only took one little slip up to alert everything terrible to their location.  They couldn’t let their guards down. It’s always going to eat at the back of their minds no matter what they do.  But for the current moment it was nice. 

Everything Lance had promised to get him when they first left.

Quiet, peaceful, and away.

“What are you writing today?”  Lance asked as he said up. Moving to lean over his lap to see the scribbled in the dirt.

“Kanji.”  He answered.  

Lance hummed as he looked the collection he had drawn.

“What’s that one?”  He asked pointing to the most reason one he had written.  “You did it a few times by the looks of it. What is it?”

“Ryou.”  He answered simply.  “It’s a name.”

“Oh, what’s it mean?”

“What do you mean ‘what does it mean’?”  He asked, as he bows pulling together in confusion as he turned to look at Lance. Who was simply just blinking at him curiously with his way to blue eyes.  “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Names have meaning.”  Lance returned with a shrug.  “And you already told me, Kuron mean’s clone in Japanese by some twisted coincidence.  Kuro means black, and Shiro means white. I’m just curious.”

“No you’re checking.”

“Well the last few times you’ve tried to pick a name you’ve tried that sneaky shit on me...so I have valid reasons.  Now tell me it means.”

“What the hell does Lance mean?”

“What does my name have to do with anything?”  Lance asked sharply.

“Answer the question, or I won’t tell you.”

“Ugh...fine!”  Lance growled in frustration.  “I don’t know if there is any other meaning to Lance, but it’s spear weapon, as I am sure you know.  My parents named me after a weapon, and I’m not going to read into that, because I asked you first. Now tell me what it means...or I’ll make you eat the pain medicine straight out of the container!”

“You wouldn’t dare.”  He returned quickly in mock horror...that was fifty percent real.

“Try me.”

“Alright, fine you win.”  he stated holding his hand up in surrender.  “This Kanji of the name mean’s light...if I remember correctly.  I-- _ Shiro _ had a brother, younger, or he would of, but something happened, baby wasn’t born.  I don’t know, he was like three when it happened,” He had stated as he looked at the kanji writing in the dirt.  He can make a guess at what happened. “But they named him, Ryou anyway, and this was the symbol they used.”

“Oh, I didn’t know…”

“It’s okay, I don’t think he really knows either.  He knows the story a bit...and the name, but family never talked about it much, so...”  He said softly. “But I kind of like it. The name. I think I want that to be my name.”

“Ryou,”  Lance said experimentally on his tongue.  “Ryou...Ryou...Yeah, okay, I like that too.  If you want that to be your name, let’s go with it.”

“Really?”  He asked.

“Yeah.”  Lance said brightly.  “It’s nice to meet you Ryou, I’m Lance.”  He added as he held out his left hand for the other to take.

And for the first time Ryou smiled and laughed.

* * *

“Ugh, my hair is getting long.”  Lance grumbled beside Ryou. 

Causing him to turn away from the stars in the sky, just in time to see Lance run his fingers through the hair on the side of his head.  Pulling it out straight to show it’s length...which admittedly wasn’t  _ terribly  _ long.  It’s just longer than normal, maybe by like an inch and half or so, and starting to take on a curly wave like appearance.  But it sticks out funnily as he did so, making looking a bit like Einstein in the dim moonlight of the early morning hours.

Ryou couldn’t stop the snort that came out of him.

“Shut up!”  Lance whined in reply.  “I need to figure what they do about hair here...or find the equivalence to scissor here.  Get  _ this _ under control.”

“I like it,”  Ryou returned, reaching out to brush some of the ends back in place beside Lance’s ear.  Lance made a sound beside him at the action. “It’s just unruly sometimes that’s all. But whatever, it’s your head.  I’ll help you get the back if you cut it yourself.”

“No, you will not!”  Lance shrieked slightly, as he turned to glare and Ryou slightly.  “I’ve had one bad hair haircut, and it was already  _ one  _ too many.  I am not letting you come close to my head with scissors or whatever they have here.”

Ryou frowned at him slightly.

“No offense, but as much as I liked how you cut your hair the first time, you got cut the fluff way to short.”  Lance stated quickly as he reach over the flick Ryou’s white hair slightly. “It was still admittedly a good job, given everything,...but your not the most ambidextrous of people.  And I’ve already had my whole head shaved ‘accidentally’ by my brothers when I was like four. So sorry, bud, but no thank you.”

“Fine grow a mullet then.”

“Take that back.”  Lance snapped with a surprised gasp.

He swatted at Ryou’s arm at the same time.  Which only caused Ryou to laugh at the display from him.  Lance just lightly whacked him again as he whined for him to stop laughing so hard, but it only makes things worse.  And before he knew it, Lance was laughing against his arm as well.

The sounded chases away the horrors that filled his head.

The horrors that had drove him awake.

Drove him to find Lance.  To see if he was still on his curled up under the blankets on the little mat he had in his room.  Safe and secure…and live.

No Galra looming over him.

No Hagger.

No other... _ him. _

But in his rush to find Lance, they stumbled into each other.  

Quite literally.

Lance had claimed he heard Ryou shuffling around and simply was going to check that he was alright.  But he himself looked too freaked out, worried, and haunted for that to be true. Ryou knew the signs too well.  Eyes flickering to where Ryou’s right arm had been. Fidgeting and shifting nervously as Ryou pretended to buy his lie and suggesting of making some tea.

The tea had long since gone cold since they moved to sit on the top of the steps of the porch. So Ryou could watch the sky and the main entrance of ‘their’ place for any unwanted intruders.  Lance joined him with a statement about how fresh air sounded good, and so did huddling close to him as they looked up at the stars and talk about this or that.

From the work that needed to be done.  Or how new seeds they planted seemed to be taking well enough this time.  Or odds and ends jobs they needed to take to get some more supplies for the floor roof they were building, as the local’s kindness only went so far without noticeable efforts.  And how there was a long hunting trip being planned, and if Lance should go or not. If it was too long for him to be away or not, if the pay would be worth it.

Just filling the space with chatter.

Both ignoring the true motives for what they were doing.  The horrors had eased, but they still lingered in Ryou’s head.

The laughter scared it all away though.

It died down pleasantly after a while.  

Lance leaned up against his left side as he chuckled lightly into a comfortable silence.  Resting his head against Ryou’s left shoulder with a hum at the warming feeling. Ryou could feel him loops his arm around his left arm, trapping it between them before he could think to move to wrap around him.

Ryou rested his head a bit on Lance’s in return.

Patting at the other’s knee lightly.  In a way that would be taken as a show of comfort, or just a kind gesture as they sat there.  The soft sounds of the night surrounding them in a peaceful gentle song.

It was hard to think they had been there for a few phoebs already.

His arm was almost fully healed.  

Lance’s had already healed and scared over some time back.

The property they were one was slowly starting to looked...lived on.  Everyone in town was curious to see how it was going, as no one had lived on it for years.  Not since the ground had split nearly a century back due to miscare by the previous owners.  They would all love to see if tended to again.

It still needed work. 

They were mostly focused on hiding Lotor’s ship to give it their complete attention.  Money was starting to get in the way of that goal. But things were coming along, they cleared a space to get somethings to start growing.  Something the locals were sure to yield rewards for their kindness. As slow going as it was.

But there was an ease starting to settle over the place.

Ryou liked it.”

“Do you think they’re okay?”  Lance asked randomly after a moment, knocking Ryou from his thoughts.

“Who?”  Ryou asked gently.

Unsure of what Lance meant.  But figured he meant the seeds they had planted, because that where he was looking.  

There were the last ones from the batch that some farmers had given them as a welcome gift.  A collection of good hearty starter plants that would help fix the soil or something. But nothing survived long enough yield any sort of produce.  Which was probably more on their lack of farming abilities than the soil. 

And Ryou really hoped these would make it so they would have some sort of sign staying wasn’t a  _ terrible  _ idea.

“Everyone back on the Castleship.”  Lance said with a small sigh. “You know, Voltron.  Do you think they’re okay?”

Ryou stiffened at the words.

“Sorry…”  Lance continued quickly as he pulled away from Ryou’s side.  Looking down at his feet on the step below where they were sitting.  “I didn’t mean...just forget I asked. It was dumb, and I wasn’t thinking.  And…”

“They were your friends, Lance, it’s fine.”  Ryou said weakly.

“ _ Our _ friends, Ryou, they were  _ our  _ friends.”  Lance corrected slightly with a small frown as he looked a Ryou.  “I just...was wondering, and thinking out loud...I guess. Cause I’m too far away to feel Red...or Blue enough to like...check in?...or whatever.  We don’t have to talk about it or anything. I  _ shouldn’t _ have said anything.” He continued with a wave of his hand like it would shoo it all away.  “Sorry for ruining the moment.”

“You didn’t...you’re allowed to be worried Lance.”  Ryou stated.

“I know.”  Lance sighed out.  “But…”

“Nothing.”  Ryou returned with a small shrug.  “It’s fine. Just caught me off guard a bit I guess…”

And sent all the horrors back to his head again.  

Accompanied with the fear of Voltron’s wrath that he startled him awake in the first place.

“I think they’re okay, Lance.”  Ryou admitted as he turned to look at the stars above.  “They’re smart people. They can handle themselves well enough without us.  And I’m sure they weren’t down a Paladin for too long when push came to shove.”

“Like another big lion switch up?”

“Yeah, who knows, maybe Allura’s in Red...or Hunk.”

Laughter blossomed out of Lance’s lips at the suggestion.

“Nah, man, Hunk is a leg guy through and through.”  Lance chuckled out lightly. “And Allura is way too bossy for Red.”  He added shaking his head at the thought, before giggling. Like he was imagining Allura and Red getting into some kind of argument with each other over one thing or another.  “But if any of those that’s true then who’s replacing them in their lions.”

“Keith.”  Ryou answered quickly.  “And Coran is the new Black Paladin.”

Lance burst out laughing bright at the suggestion.  Toppling backwards against the steps a bit as the idea tickled him more.  Ryou isn’t sure which part of the words he is finding more hilarious.

“Or maybe they just found Shiro.”  Lance stated as he calmed down. “And no one had to change...except Keith maybe, back in Red.  Or maybe Shiro is in Red...” 

Ryou hummed in agreement as he turned to look at Lance.  

“I guess, I agree with you.”  Lance said as he pushed himself to sit up right again.  “Red is far away, but I do still feel her connected to me.  Enough for her to follow to find me if she needed to, or  _ wanted _ to.  But clearly she’s not here, so…”

“Stuck with me.”  Ryou huffed out melodramatically.

It earned him a warning nudge from Lance as he moved to leaned against him again.

“Yeah, stuck with you on a peaceful farm on an alien planet...darn.”  Lance said as he leaned against him more heavily. “How miserable that sounds to call home.”  Lance teased lightly as he moved to look at Ryou from his spot.

“It’s not Earth.”

“It’s close enough.”

Ryou sighed slightly as he looked at Lance. 

A commented about how that doesn’t mean anything growing on his tongue.  He promised to get Lance him when he thought he was Shiro...and now there were here.  Billions and billions miles away. That wasn’t close enough.

But the look in Lance’s eyes.  The way he looked at him from where he was leaning against his shoulder.  The small smile that was on his lips. 

And they way the dim moonlight was hitting him just so.

Making his eyes almost sparkle with how much  _ it doesn’t matter _ .

It made Ryou stop.

Made the comment shrivel up and die.

He couldn’t look away from it.  From the soft expression on Lance’s face, to the way the left side of his hair was still stupidly sticking out crazily.  It captured Ryou so completely, he didn’t even wanted to dare to look away. He didn’t want to even  _ move _ in any other direction that closer to Lance oddly.

Okay, not oddly.

He liked Lance.  

He knew he liked Lance.  

A more than decent amount that he probably  _ should _ .  For a collection of reasons he had tried to bury it all under.  Something that had only gotten worse since they got been there. Because well there is  _ only _ Lance for him to deal with in nearly every waking moment.  And Lance was nothing by kind, gentle, and  _ there _ .

But Lance  _ didn’t know  _ that.  He still flirted with just about every shop keep or cashier in town.  Most of which happened to be female. 

And well...Ryou was just a clone of someone.

So Ryou willed himself to tear his eyes away after a moment.  Looking to the fields in front of him. Feeling Lance turned to do the same.

“Come on, let’s go to bed.”  Lance said after a few moments, moving to get up from the steps.  “We can maybe catch a few vargas of sleep before the sun makes it too unacceptable for us to still be in bed.”

“Okay,”  Ryou nodded.

Moving to get up from the steps away.  Turning to grab his cup of cold tea. Dumping the small amount still in the cup into the dying shrubs by the stairs.  Before he followed Lance inside, and gave him his cup to take to the sink while he closed the front door to their place and flicked the lock.  

He hovered slightly as Lance placed the cups in the sink in their kitchen space.  Which is half working and half falling apart from age and lack of use. But it’s together enough for what they need.  

Lance slowly made his way to his room.  Ryou falling in step slightly behind him to go to his own as well.  Watching Lance carefully for a moment.

“Do you want to…”  Lance asked quietly when he stopped at his doorway.  Turning to look at Ryou almost shyly.

“Yeah” Ryou nodded in agreement,  “If you don’t mind?”

“No not at all.”

“Okay.”

Ryou followed Lance into his room after that.

Curled up beside him just so.  Made sure his head was resting on his chest just so, as he left Lance’s fingers weave into his hair.  Which probably needs to be cut too, but Ryou didn’t really care that much about it at the moment. All that mattered was Lance was warm and breathing in his slight hold.

And he fell asleep to the subtle sound of Lance’s heartbeat.

* * *

_ Thunk, thunk, thunk. _

The steady sound of hammering had filled Ryou’s ears most of the day.  Since after breakfast, until now. Only a brief pause during lunch, and another in the afternoon for a small snack and drink break.  And maybe the handful of moments when Lance and him had shifted around in their work. But outside of that,it was a constantly pounding sound.

_ Thunk, thunk, thunk _ .

Ryou kept his hand pressed against the wooded board.  

Even though he could feel it no longer needed to be held in place by him.  It was secured nailed down enough for Ryou to leave Lance to finish hammering the nail into place while he went to grab the next board.  For the the next slot they needed to fill, and repeat the whole process again.

But he doesn’t move.

Partly because he’s tired. 

He had been working non stop with Lance on the roof-floor, as they were affectionately calling it, over Lotor’s ship.  Eager to get done once and for all since they were able to get all the last of the supplies they needed. Thanks to handful of odd jobs and a successful full sale of a harvest of space cabbages that were...just  _ horrible _ in flavor.  

Finally they had everything they needed.

And as eager as they both were to finish...it was still tiring.

The sun, as temperate and nice as it was, still beat down on them.  

Ryou’s shoulders had been slowly growing more and more red as they day went on. Because he’s not lucky like Lance, who just takes on a richer hue of tan.   And Ryou notes he probably needs to by a larger brimmed hat to help with that. He doesn’t believe Lance when he said they were the widest he could find. Not to mention his hair was sticky with sweat and gross.

His arm hurts from the action of hammering and lifting.  He’s sure Lance’s are the same, if not,  _ worse. _  As he has been the one doing most of the hammering down.  Since it was a little easier and faster to work a nail into the wood with two hands.  Rather than tentatively hammering a nail in, because he feared hitting Lance’s hand on accident.

Also, when Ryou looked up at the sky, the sun was starting to set.

The sky blooming with hues of purples, pinks, and oranges.  Bright and beautiful in the sky like it was practically every need.  

So it was probably more than time to call it a night.

Finish what was left in the morning.

_ Thunk. _

Silence.

“Holy crow, that was the last one.”  Lance voice stated in amazement. 

Ryou turned back to look at him at the sound.  Just as the other turned to look at him as he took the nail he had between his lips out.  Hammer still held in his hand like he was ready to move on. Only there is no where to go…

The board was flushly against wood on all sides.

“That was the last one.”  Lance repeated with a growing grin.  “We’re done…we finished putting the floor planks on.  That was the last one. It’s all done.” He continued as he looked around quickly just in case the missed a spot.  Ryou does the same thing, but there wasn’t a single spot. “Holy quazinack, we did it, we finished it!”

A smile grew across Ryou’s lips.  

A small breathless laugh of amazement raising from his throat.  “We’re done.” He parroted happily.

But still dumbly shocked they got so into what they were doing that they didn’t even noticed they were close to being done.  Or even  _ on _ their last plank.

“We’re done!”  Lance declared as he suddenly sprang up from where he was squatting.  Carelessly tossing the hammer and nails in his hands as he jumped up.  Only flinching slightly when the hammer landed loudly on the board behind him.  But not enough to stop him from jumping around in excitement. “We’re done! We’re done!”  He continued.

Lance bounded over towards Ryou.  Easily reaching down to grab his arm and pull him up as he bounced around.  Chanting to the universe excitedly that they were done as he kept a hold of Ryou’s left hand.

Ryou can’t help but get caught up in it all as well.

He quickly scooped Lance up on a bound up.  Spinning him around quickly with a bright laugh.  Lance chant quickly turned into bells of his own laughter as he braced himself against Ryou’s shoulder slightly.  Before he held his arms out into the air with a laughter filled ‘whoop’, as they slowed to stop.

Ryou placed Lance back down on the floor.

“Okay...we need...we need to celebrate.”  Lance declared breathlessly, as he stepped back from Ryou a bit.  A smile still widely on his face. “Yeah, we need to do something to celebrate.  This is has been like six phoebs coming. We  _ need  _ to celebrate.”

“With what?”  Ryou asked.

“I don’t know...”  Lance grinned out with a shrug.  “But I’m sure we have something in the house we can use.”  He added before darting off towards the house.

Ryou smiled as he watched Lance jump off the wood of the platform, before landing in the dirt of the land.  A wide smile as he spun around with another loud declaration of something Ryou assumed was something similar to ‘we’re done’ in Spanish.  Quickly taking off for the house afterwards.

Lightly he shook his head and followed after Lance.

Half afraid Lance would tear apart what little of their working kitchen they had to find something.  Like he was literally going to tear open the wall and find like a bottle of wine or whatever was Gran’djo’s equivalent.  Not caring that it’s probably a century old...and like in an  _ old abandoned _ house they took up residence in.

Ryou made his way up the porch and into through their front door.  Finding Lance had started to gather a collection of things on their dingy little table.  A handful of of meats and cheeses from their latest run to the market. A pitcher of the fresh juice She’ma brought them in her weekly visit to their home, the one Ryou knows tastes like lemonade.  A few of her baked goods as well.

And Lance was still looking for things.

“Please tell me you don’t plan to bring everything in our kitchen out there.”  Ryou asked with a raised eyebrow when Lance smiled at him as he placed down some green fruits.  “I don’t think our wallets can handle another trip back to the market just yet.”

“I...yeah...hmm.”  Lance started as he stopped to looked down at the table.  His shoulders dropping a bit at the sight of the things he had collected.  “Okay, that wasn’t the plan, I just went overboard I guess. We don’t exactly have anything  _ special _ .”

Ryou hummed.  “No bottles to pop.”  He stated in agreement.

“Exactly.”  Lance grinned in agreement.  “It’s on the list to find an equivalent of.  Just like scissors, still kind of on the hunt for those.”  

Ryou snorted slightly at the words.  

“Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything.”  Ryou said as he held up his hand with a small chuckle.  He moved towards the table, reaching to grab the pitcher of juice.  “How about we have some space lemonade, take the meat and cheeses and some bread, and make some sandwich to eat on our new roof-floor.  Celebrate by just watching the sunset.”

Lance looked at him for a moment.  Sticking his lips out a bit as he gave a thoughtful hum and rubbed at his chin.  Pretending to really think about critically.

“Okay, solid base plan.  I like it really.” Lance agreed after a moment.  “But, we’ll figured everything else outside.”

Ryou huffed a laugh as he tried to act offended.

Lance laughed airily behind him as he grabbed some cups from one the cabinets.  He hurried over to help wedge them between Ryou’s bicep and chest, since he had the pitcher in his hand.  And neither of them wanted to chance him dropping it one bit.

Quickly Lance turned Ryou around.  Ushering him towards the door and back outside to find a good spot to sit.  Like there was suddenly going to be a whole crowd of people appearing for their floor unveiling.  As if their chanting and excitement would just make all the locals converge.

Ryou just rolled his eyes as he made his way out the door.

Briefly calling back towards that it was so packed, he’s be lucky to find a spot for himself let alone Lance.  Earning both a laugh and small call of ‘okay smart ass’ from inside the house. Ryou laughed loudly in replay as he made his way off the porch.

He settled in the center of their newly finished roof of their hiding spot for Lotor’s ship. 

Still rather unbelieving they were done.

They had put in so much work to get it done.  And they weren’t building and engineering experts in the least.  And there knowledge only really got them so far. Ryou still hates the fact that Lance balanced himself along the stilts, and acted like the fall  _ wouldn’t _ have possibly killed him.  And most of their success probably came from the strength of the Gran’djian wood.  

But it was done now.

They could focuses on building a barn now.  Or having the locals come help them fix things on their farm.  They could relax a little bit, knowing no one was going to see Lotor’s ship on accident.

Carefully, Ryou placing the pitcher down.  Before moving his hand to grab the cups wedged in by his arm.  Placing them down by the pitcher before he moved to sit down. He let out a content breath as he settled beside them.

A gentle breeze pushed through, cooling him slightly from the days hard work.

He closed his eyes as he let wash over him.  Welcoming the coolness and the evening songs of the daytime birds as they fluttered home for the night.  He took a deep breath of the fresh air around him and let it out with a soft hum before he opened his eyes again.

Ryou turned his attention to pouring the juice into the cups.  Filling them to equal heights and carefully placing the pitcher back down.  He snatched the one closest to him, and took a sip. Smiling to himself at the familiar flavor in such an unfamiliar place.  He leaned back a bit as another breeze passed by.

A few moments later, he could hear the crunch of Lance’s boots against the dirt as he approached.  But he didn't move to look at him. Rather let the sound of steps sounded against the wood of the floor before he stopped beside him.  Only turning as Lance dropped down to sit behind him, carefully balancing himself as he did so. As he had a sandwich in each of his hand.

Lance muttered about how he was going to have to help Ryou make his sandwich one way or another anyway, as he handed Ryou one.  Figured he’d safe a few a steps of the process. And it was best if he just eat the food and didn’t try to complain. Just enjoy.

And enjoy they did.

The sun set rather slowly on Gran’djo.  Usually taking a good varga and half to do so on average.  The hues of purples, pinks, and oranges ever shifting in the sky and dancing with the clouds above them.  Slowly darkening with every passing minute. So they had plenty of light to fill their conversation.

Which fluttered from general nonsense, like what food item, alien or otherwise, they really craved, to a brief discussion of what to do next on the property.  Aside from working on the barn, they didn’t exactly have the supplies to start something like that at the moment. But Lance hadn’t let it last to long. Rather talking to how he would decorate the space of their roof-floor for a party.

Gesturing for lights there, where they were going to get them unknow, and a banner here.  Something that played music off in that corner. Food and drinks in the opposite corner. With the whole middle for dancing and partying.  As that was what the whole space was good for.

Something Ryou argued wasn’t true.  

As it was going to a barn floor...therefore it was more suited for barn related things.

“Okay, but right now, it’s just a huge floor.”  Lance countered as he moved to stand up. “Huge floors are for dancing. Case and point, I am right.”  

Ryou huffed from his spot.  

“Fine, I’ll prove it.” Lance huffed above him, before he sort of twirled and spun away.

Ryou watched him spin with his legs and arm around.  Imitating a move that looked like ballet, but was nowhere close to it.  Simply proceeded to just... _ wiggle, _ if that was the right word for it, and bounce to some tune he hummed to himself.  Because their small data devices had run out of battery some time back, and they had yet to figure a way to charge them.  Occasionally, Lance broke out some horribly,  _ horribly _ outdated dance move that always failed to completely die out.

None of it really helps prove a point.

It only succeeds in making Ryou laugh a bit at the display. 

Before Lance stormed over and thrust his hand out.  Demanding Ryou join him in dancing. As Lance couldn’t effectively prove his correctness just dancing by himself.  Therefore Ryou  _ had _ to join him.

It was one hundred percent a ploy to get Ryou to stop laughing and it worked.

Because it was a little hard to laugh as Lance hummed some attempt at classical music as he grabbed Ryou in a ballroom style hold.  Okay, no, it was a little easier. But Lance charged them down the length of the floor, stopping a foot with every pointed ‘dun’ he made, before Ryou could do anything.  Before dramatically turning them back, to charge back.

Ryou laughed when Lance suddenly tried to spin him once they reached the middle again.  Lance joining in brightly as Ryou clumsily ducked to fit under Lance’s arm to spin. Both of them laughing instantly as Ryou finally managed a successful spin.  Before he play huffed that it was Lance’s turn to do so, and he spun him until he was dizzy, and Lance demanded the go the other way.

From there they danced together to randomly hummed tunes, and half remembered song lyrics.  As the fading daylight shifted to dusk Laughing at the other as thing seemed to grow more ridiculous with each passing moment.  It suddenly become less about proving the space was for dancing and more seeing what other dance they could do.

“Why do you know  _ line dancing _ ?”  Lance exclaimed in a fit of giggles.

“I honestly have no idea.”  Ryou answered with a shrug. “But it’s a staple of American culture.”

“Ew,”  Lance returned.  “Get it off my dance floor.”

“Dance roof-floor.”  Ryou correct as he moved over to where they cups were.  Earning himself a playful swat at his shoulder blades that barely even touched.

Lance stuck his tongue out at him, when Ryou straightened up from grabbing his cup.  He stuck his tongue out at Lance in return, before he brought the cup to his lips. Knocking the little bit of space lemonade still inside back like it was a shot of something far more alcoholic.  Lance giggled before him.

_ Pop--oom! _

The suddenly loud sound in the darkening air made both of them jump.

Lance flinched harshly as he whipped around to look behind him.  Searching for the source of the sound. He body quickly tensing as he took a few slow steps back towards Ryou, who in turn inched his way towards him.

The sound wasn’t like anything they had heard before.

Something between a firework, a balloon popping, and an engine firing up.  

But Ryou can’t find the source of it anywhere in the darkening sky of the ending sunset.  Which is worrying. And even through it didn’t sounds like a ship entering the atmosphere, he really didn’t want to count it out.

Who knew what secrets the Galra had up their sleeves.

But then a collection of sparkling mix of blue and green lights filled the sky.  Almost like bits of fireworks sparks. Only they fell slower, and seemed to twirl in the air a bit as fell towards the ground.  Almost giving the appearance of fireflies just taking to the sky, but they just drifted in the wind more like delicate little petals.

Fluttering gracefully down towards the sky.

The tension in Lance’s shoulder’s dropped a bit at the sight.  Gasping up in amazement as petal- _ whatever _ started to flutter down towards them more.  Sparkling with a gentle and muted glow as the came within reach.  

Lance held up a hand to catch some of the lights,

Before Ryou could think to tell him to stop.  That they might be dangerous, and maybe they should go inside, and wait for everything to blow over.  Better safe than sorry. They’d ask the locals what it was when everything was done.

And before Ryou could get the words out of his lips, one of them settled in Lance’s hand.

He didn’t react to the touch at all.  Not an ounce of pain or anything as Lance brought his hand down to look at the thing.  Giggling slightly at the bluish glowing that had settled in there, as he brought his other hand up to poke it slightly.  His whole body losing tension with every passing moment. 

Before he softly blew down on the petal-thing.  

It fluttered out his hand.  Flicking towards the ground at his feet as a few other lights started to find rest on the wooden planks.  

But Lance looked up at the sky instead.  

Where thousands if not millions of millions more were fluttering own from the sky above.  

A smile softly bloomed on his face as he looked at the blue and green lights dance above him.  Letting out a small breathless ‘wow’ as he stared up at them. He held out his hands to catch a few more like they were snow, before a bright laugh came out of his throat.  

Lance spun quickly as more started to flutter down around them.  Carelessly seeming to dance and spin in the falling petal lights.  Sending the petals that landed in his hands flying, but also kicking up the few that had landed.  Making all of them flicker in the air with his bright joyous laugh.

And it was beautiful.

Ryou couldn’t take his eyes off Lance, spinning and laughing so careless free in the middle of all the fluttering petal lights.

He had seen countless wonderful, impossible things.  Both from Shiro’s memories, and his own experiences. Things  _ Shiro _ never thought he would see.  All wonderful and special in their own ways.  

But this…right now…in front of him...spinning, dancing, and laughing in a shower of soft lights...

Was the most beautiful thing in the whole universe.

It was like he was transfixed by it all.

He hadn’t even realized he put his cup down, and started to walk towards Lance.  Not until he was practically in front of him. 

Lance stopped in his spinning as he approached.  “Hey Ryou,” He greeted with a wide smile. “Isn’t this amazing, look at how pretty it is.  I’ve never seen anything like this. They must be bioluminscent or something.” Lance continued as he reached out to catch some petals to show Ryou.

Ryou cupped his face with his hand and kissed Lance.

His eyes closed as he felt Lance stiffen, just for a second, underneath him at the action.  

It melted away quickly.  His fingers gently wrapped around Ryou’s wrist, as he leaned a little bit up at into Ryou.  His other hand reaching up Ryou’s face, the petals lights in his hand soft against his cheek.  A gentle pleased hum come from Lance as they lingered a bit before pulling away.

Ryou opened his eyes to just find blue staring back at him.

“What was that for?”  Lance asked softly as they pulled apart just a fraction more.  A collection of blue and green petal lights were resting on his hair.

“You were beautiful,”  Ryou stated softly as he rubbed his thumb against Lance’s check.  Grinning down at the feeling of warmth they were giving off. “I don’t really know, guess I just couldn’t resist.”

Lance hummed under his touch and words, a soft smile growing on his lips.  

The petals still fluttering around them softly.  Their gentle glows of green and blues twinkling in Lance's eyes, and casting muted colors on their skin tones.  Ryou can feel them tickling his skin as they fall along his arms.

“I kind of want to do it again.”  Ryou whispered gently as he looked at Lance.

Lance took a step closer, so he is more in Ryou’s space.  The warmth of his body and smile was notably pleasant near Ryou’s.  Lance right hand moved up to wrap around Ryou’s neck, fingers starting to fiddle with the hair there that made a slightly shiver run down his spine in the most pleasant way.

“I don’t object to you wanting to do it more.”  Lance said quietly.

Like if he said it to loud the glowing petals would violently whirlwind away from them.

Ryou smiled gently, and leaned down without hesitation to kiss Lance again.

Feeling him practically melt against him at the action.  Body going flush against his own, hands threading into his hair.  Even tilting his head just so, making them fit and mold even more together than before.  Humming pleased soft sounds with every kiss they came back together with.

It was like he couldn’t get enough.

And it all just felt right.

* * *

“I think I’m falling in love with you.”  Ryou admitted gently down at Lance’s sleeping form beside him.

Something he could look at all day.

The morning light was pouring through the window of the bedroom.  Completely bathing Lance’s form in the soft amount of sunlight the cheap set of drape Lance found let through.  Curled up on his side, facing away from Ryou because he rolled over that way when Ryou gently tired to wake him up.  Sleepy grumbling about food go and garlic knots as he did so.

It was still reasonably early in the morning, so Ryou doesn’t mind lingering in bed for a bit longer.  The sun only just finished rising. And Ryou had watched was warm colors of it wash over Lance’s freckled shoulder and mangled bed head hair.

He had delicately been running his fingers through Lance’s hair.  Tucking and trying to manage the hair he could reach. Which meant Lance was probably going to wake up with lopsided hair.  And he would probably fuse and been annoyed with Ryou.

But the feeling of the soft wavy hair between his fingers always felt good.  

And Lance hadn’t cut it as short as he usually did.  

Much to Ryou’s delight.

Honestly he wished they could just lay in their newish bed for the whole day.

“Wait...you  _ think?” _  Lance’s voice suddenly sounded before him.

Ryou froze as Lance suddenly moved to look at him.  Blue eyes very much awake as he rolled halfway onto his back.  Hair totally a mess as he gave Ryou the most puzzled, slightly disbelieving look he’s probably ever given him at any one point.

Which was saying something.  

Because like they grow space potatoes that taste like bacon.

But Ryou was a bit  _ too _ surprised by the fact that Lance was  _ awake _ to really realize that.

He had thought the other was sleeping away soundly.  Maybe half a varga away from waking up and muttering about how the locals were coming to help with building the barn.  And they had to get up, even though he really didn’t  _ want _ to.   But Gran’djian’s are an ever punctual species with it comes to commitments.

“Uh...yeah.”  Ryou forced out weakly.  

“What do you mean, you  _ think _ you’re falling in love with me?”  Lance asked as he brows pulled together in confusion.  Ryou numbly shrugged down at him dumbly. Laughter spilled out form Lance’s lips as he looked up at him.  “How are you still unsure of  _ that?! _  We’ve been couplely lately, and we’re living in the same house.  Sleeping in the same bed, kissing on a handful of occasions for like the past two phoebs.”

“I...I…” Ryou started, feeling his checks growing hot.  

Before he flopped into Lance’s pillow in front of him to hide.

A loud wave of laughter burst into the air, drowning out his miserably embarrassed groan.  

Followed by the bed shifting a bit as Lance moved beside him.  Lance’s laughter growing closer to his ear. And he could feel his warm hand brush up against his arm, before resting on his shoulder.  His feet moving to tangle themselves between Ryou’s legs, and making him squirm a little at the touch of cool skin.

“Oh,  _ mi luz _ .”  Lance chuckled out gently. “I’m sorry, you’re just so easy to tease sometimes.  I can’t help it.”

“I’m like ninety-one percent sure.”  Ryou declared loudly into Lance’s pillow.

Lance giggled slightly at the words.  “That’s a pretty solid percentage, man.”

“Could be higher.”

“Yeah it  _ could be _ ,”  Lance huffed playfully sign him.  “I get where you're coming from. It kinda has been a roller coaster of months for a while.  Things got a bit...jumbled. But does it really  _ need _ to be. higher?”

“I would prefer it.”  Ryou grumbled into the pillow.

Lance laughed loudly at the the reply, before Ryou felt him move to sit up on the bed. Shoving the covers way, before he pushed Ryou away from the pillow to lay on his back.  Much to Ryou’s whining protest.

But he just settled for frowning up at Lance.

“Would it make you feel better, if I admitted that I’m like ninety- eight percent sure I’ve fallen head first into love for you. Have been for a while and since like...everything.”  Lance admitted as he looked down at Ryou on the bed..

Everything about him glowing in the morning sun as he did so.

His hair, that was as Ryou figured, half a mess of bed head and sticking up at odd angles.  The skin of his right shoulder that was hanging out of his loose shirt, that Ryou knew was actually his.  And his eyes that were blue like the ocean and bits of space they were never probably going to see again, so soft and full of truth.

Just a picture of perfection.

And as Ryou stared up at him, he knew…

He moved up quickly to capture Lance’s lips.  

Loving the giggle the other gave up at the clumsy rushed action to do so.  And the way Lance grabbed onto him help steady him without making it seem like that’s what he was doing.  

“Yeah, I’m one-hundred percent sure I’ve fallen in love with you, Lance.”  Ryou returned as he rested his forehead against Lance, nuzzling against him just so.

Laughing with Lance suddenly tackled him backwards onto the bed with a small cry.

* * *

That sound of something between a firework, a balloon popping, and an engine firing up burst through the darkening skies of the night.

Ryou jumped a the sound a bit.

Even though he knew it wasn’t anything bad.

It caused Lance to giggle beside him a bit.  But patted at his knee lightly in understanding as he leaned up against him.

They had been waiting since sundown for the Ma’ite Bira, as they learned it was called, to bloom in its usual loud manner of doing so.  Shoot it’s millions and millions of luminescent pollen petals over the land to feed and return nutrients lost. Something everyone in town had been excited about since it had been due to happen close to the upcoming seasonal harvest festival.    And even then the sound had caught Ryou by surprise.

But it was always so much easier for things to catch him by surprise after they checked Lotor’s ship under the developing structure of the barn.  Or ran through the movement of drills on what to do if they were found, to stay sharp in their efforts. All because a dream had him inching to do so, as they only way to calm his nerves.

Lance understood that more than enough.

He settled against Ryou’s shoulder as they sat on the front steps of their porch.

The weight of him helping calm Ryou’s nerves so easily.  Especially as he looped his arms around Ryou’s waist and nuzzled against him for some warmth in the rapidly cooling night air.  Ryou smiled down at the other as he leaned into a bit as well.

“Look.”  Lance declared softly as he moved to look at the sky.

Ryou turned to look up at the night sky.

Seeing the millions of glowing blue and green petals dancing in the air towards the ground.  Fluttering in the slight wind that push past them. A smile coming to his lips as he watched them drift into view from under their porch roof.  Slowly starting to settle in some of their taller crops. Then the ground before them.

All as beautiful as the first night they had ever experienced.

Perhaps not as beautiful though.  As both Lance and him were heeding everyone’s warning of observing from a covered area.  

Not that the Ma’ite Bira’s petals were dangerous in anyway to animals or people, or  _ anything _ at all.  No physical harm would come from being in the middle of the petals, it was just not advised.  For a handful of reasons that had been explained to Lance and Ryou by She’ma when they asked about it the following morning.

The Ma’ite Bira was a very... _ giving _ plant in a lot of aspects, apparently.

And it made them blush a bit as they thought back to the make out session and heaving petting that had happened that night.

“It’s so pretty,”  Lance commented softly, his gaze still fixed on the falling petals.  

Ryou hummed in agreement as he watched Lance move his leg to hold it out over the last to porch steps.  All in an effort to catch some petals on his boots and pant legs. Choosing not to scold him for doing so because Tat’ik had gone out of her way to tell them not to make skin contact with the petals after she found what they did the first time.  Lance was more than protected in his boots and pants.

“But not as pretty as when we were in it the first time.”  Lance continued. 

“We’ll have to get ponchos or something.”  Ryou stated offhandedly.

“Oh, totally!”  Lance beamed out with sparkling as he turned to look at Ryou.  “It’s not as fun just watching it like this. I want to be in it.  This is like the closest thing this planet has to like an easy rain storm.”

Ryou chuckled as Lance frowned on the end of his statement.

He was right though.  

Gran’djo didn’t have just a simple rain storm.  When it rained, it poured there, thundering and storming the whole time.  Gusts and fits of wind, along with sheets and sheets of water coming down as strong as the clouds can get it out.  Generally just being completely unpleasant in a way that  _ no one _ really wanted to be out in if they didn’t have to.  

There was no soft drizzle or simple rain storm that just steadily came down.

And it was a fact Lance hated.

But given, that the weather was temperate and nice like 90% of the time.  There wasn’t much room to really argue about the fact.

A silence washed over them as Ryou’s laughter died down.

Lance settled back into his side, as he rubbed lazy patterns along his forearms.  Both of them going back to watching the petals fall over the lands they had been working together.  Occasionally watching as the win would brush some onto their porch or slightly near them. But really just taking in the silent moment between them.

“Can you believe it’s been like a year since we came here?”  Lance asked suddenly.

“Really?”  Ryou asked, turning to look at his boyfriend.  “It’s been a year?”

“I think so.”  Lance admitted with a shrug against Ryou.  Before he turned to look up at him with a smile.  “I don’t exactly have Pidge’s space calendar to keep track if things.  And like I tried to count the days, but I’m pretty sure I forgot sometimes.  And I know we  _ painted _ over the marks I made a few weeks back.  But like Tero, in town told me the Ma’ite Bira blooms about every four to six phoebs. So…”

“It’s been a like a year and two months.”

“What?!”

“The first time we saw the Ma’ite Bira bloom was six phoebs ago...and we had been on Gran’djo for like six phoebs at that time.  Isn’t there like ten phoebs in a  _ deca _ phoeb.  Or at least that’s how  _ English _ works.  But it’s been like twelve, so--”

“You know, I didn’t ask for all your math and language skills.”  Lance huffed up at Ryou. Frowning deeply as he cut him off. His puff of hair catching some of his bangs blew it up.  “Okay, I was just trying to point out the fact that it’s been like  _ about _ a year since we got here.  And just look at the progress we made.”

Lance made wide gesture with his hand at their farm.

Most of the crop rows near the house had been cleared and growing things extremely well.  There was still a lot to clear and tend to, in reality. They’re probably only cleared like a fifth of the land.  It was a slow growing process as they were still getting their feet under themselves a bit in terms of a lot of things.  But it was getting easier with a steadier income of selling the left over produce they didn’t need. 

They could buy supplies for the barn and fixing up their house a little easier.  As well as buy furniture so they weren’t sitting on old barrels they had found. The barn itself was like half a skeleton still.  But most of the structure just needed siding, as well as some door and window covers, and whatever they were going to do it inside.

But they had the room for smoking meats all done.  And Lance and him had been working on perfecting their methods in using it.  Though Lance had been able to sell a few skins and bits things he had hunted during his few solo hunts to some local merchants to sell.  There was a growing indications that they would come back for more if he had any. Which was another good thing in there favor.

Not to mention they were friends with everyone in town and all the other farmers around it.  A part of the community that had welcomed them in the moment either of them had breathed a word of war in even the smallest of details.  Urging them the best, and doing what they could to help them settle in to a new place and home when they had nothing. All of them more than patient for Lance and Ryou to completely warm up to them.

They had come far compared to the rundown place it had been when they first landed, and Lance pulled them out of the steep ditch.

“We’ve done a lot.”  Ryou agreed.

“Not just on the farm, Ryou.”  Lance said gently. “You’ve come far too.”  He reached for Ryou’s hand, taking it to intertwine their fingers together.  Rubbing his thumb over Ryou’s in a loving manner. “I know it’s still hard, the clone thing and all, there’s still a lot you’re still working on and dealing with.  But it’s definitely better than the first day you told me.”

Again Lance was right.

Which wasn’t as  _ huge _ surprise.  Lance was right about a lot of things, and it was a lot easier to see without a war getting in the way.  But then looking back it was so easy to see how perceptive he was about things.

Ryou had made progress though.  

He had accepted he was a clone.  And while the intentions around his creation were evil and just all around not the best,  _ his _ own weren’t.  Every wrong and bad choice or action hadn’t been all his doing.  Or that just because he wasn’t Shiro anymore, didn’t mean he couldn’t like or want the same things Shiro did.  

Not to mention Lance’s suggest of physical differences helped Ryou look in the mirror and see Ryou.  Rather than seeing Shiro.

Sure, there were good days and bad. 

But recently the bad days steamed more from anxieties of being found, or Haggar finding some new way to control him.  Less from the fact that he was a clone.

Sometimes there were little flare ups about things.  

Like the fact that Lance has a burn on his left bicep from him.  A clear hand mark where he grabbed and held through as the arnor burned away.   Lance was always quick to correct him, that  _ Haggar _ hurt him, not Ryou.  Ryou was the one that saved him, snapped himself back to clarity and save them from ever having that happen again.

“I couldn’t have done it without you.”  Ryou stated lovingly down at Lance.

“Oh, I don’t know about  _ that,  _ yo--.”

“No, I couldn’t have done it...all of  _ this _ without you, Lance.”  Ryou affirmed. Moving his hand to bring the back of Lance’s to his lips.  “I mean it, you saved me. More ways than one. I won’t let you sell yourself short on it, never in a million years.  And I love you so much for it.”

“I love you too.”  Lance returned in a gentle whisper.

Ryou smiled lovingly down at Lance for a moment.  

The glowing petals dancing in the corners of his vision as he does down.  Close but not the same as the first time he kissed Lance under the shower of them.  But the light still flickered in his blue eyes. And they cast of soft glow against their skin.

Honestly there were no words it seemed to describe how much he loved Lance.

Maybe to the edge of the ever expanding universe and back again.  But that was something Lance would probably find cheesy, just in general.  There for something that would probably ruin whatever moment they were having.  

So for now, Ryou supposed he’d keep it until a later time.

Ryou leaned down and captured Lance’s lips, just as the other leaned up to do the same.

And they melt together like always.

* * *

The last three days had been like hell.

For both Lance and Ryou.

Because, of course, they  _ would _ be when one of them fell ill.  

Things had been going far to smoothly for far too long for the universe to be  _ kind _ .  Of course, it wouldn’t be easy.  Of course it would be like the worst thing to happen.  And of course it would be to  _ Lance _ .

Lance had developed some congestion and a sore throat five days back.  Nothing either of them truly worried about. It seemed only natural that something would just  _ eventually _ get into their system to make them sick.  And it wasn’t like a stuffy nose and sore throat weren’t hard to manage.  

Not to mention Tat’ik had claimed it to be nothing of real concern.  

The starting signs of a Gran’djian common cold.  A few days rest and sleep, lots of fluids, and a good cup of an overly herbal tea, it should pass right over.  With nothing more than a low fever and some bodily aches. Then it would be like it never even happened.

Except that wasn’t how it went.

Lance body decided to fight the simple alien virus by getting as close to combustion as it could.  Ryou wasn’t sure if it’s strategy was to sweat it out or burn the virus to oblivion. None of Tat’ik’s medications to help with fever could bring Lance’s temperature down.  

Nor was there anything the healer could really do it help.  The best treatment was letting the virus run its course. She didn’t think their bodies would have such different reactions to the illness of a different species.  Other than immune system boosts, and general fever medications, there was nothing.

So for three days Lance had constantly high fever.

Ryou had done his best to keep him cool and hydrated, per Tat’ik’s helpful instructions.

But really there was only  _ so _ much he could do.

However, Lance’s fever wasn’t only cruel in it’s unforgiving temperature.  

It had made Lance delusional, for lack of a better word.  Which with how high his fever was, Ryou reasoned was to be expected.  Slowly cooking his brain like it was. No way his mind could function normally.

Lance’s dreams had him muttering nonsense, or groaning or whimpering about something.  Ryou could barely seem to calm any of it away for him. Though sometimes the old lullaby Ryou remembered for Shiro’s grandmother helped.  As he would gently pet at Lance’s hair and urge him to muscle through to just get better.

But it was worse when he was awake.

Sometimes Lance would confuse Ryou for Shiro.  

Not something Ryou would or could hold against Lance.  He wasn’t in his right mind because of a high fever, half the stuff Lance was saying was babbling nonsense about one thing or another.  And it wasn’t like Ryou  _ didn’t _ hold any passing resemblance to Shiro.  Plus sometimes he would talk to Shiro about Ryou, urge him to be gentle and kind, because Ryou was good and nice.  And how it wasn’t his fault he was a clone, please be nice to his boyfriend. Just  _ try _ , okay.  Something Ryou would always promise to do as Shiro...completely for Lance’s sake because he would smile and relax.  

Then in a matter of blinks and breaths, Lance would recognize Ryou as Ryou and blabber to him about Shiro, asking if they were getting along.  Or just ask if he watered the blue space tomatoes. Or did any one thing on the farm.

Most of which Ryou lied about it.

Because there were few moments he felt like he could leave Lance alone.

He barely left Lance’s side unless he needed to.  Usually to go to the bathroom, or replace a cold pack, or get a fresh glass of water.  Maybe tend to one small thing outside, or answer the door, before rushing back to Lance.  Barely even slept unless he dozed off accidentally without realizing it.

That’s how it had been for the last three days.

Just a constant cycle.

Leaving Ryou to just pray to any universal power that be to let Lance get better.  While he just watched over him.

“Ryou?”  Lance voice suddenly sounded tiredly.

It caused Ryou to turn quickly from where he was sitting on the bed beside Lance.  Dropping the tablet with their inventory numbers he had been starting at onto the sheets, as he looked down at Lance.  Smiling gently as blue eyes blinked up at him. Ryou brought his hand up to comb through Lance’s sweaty locks of hair. 

Lance hummed and closed his eyes at the sensation.

“Hey you, you’re up.”  Ryou said sweetly. Biting back the word babe, because for some reason Lance sometimes found it confusing.  Subtly, Ryou brought the back of his fingers to Lance’s forehead. Finding it for once didn’t feel  _ so _ hot.  “How are you feeling?”

“Hmm...not great.”  Lance admitted, eyes still closed.  He frowned when Ryou returned his fingers to his sweaty hair.  “But...better...less like I’m trapped in a pizza oven.”

“I…”  Ryou started before he paused.  “I really don’t know how to properly respond to that.”  He smiled as Lance huffed a weak laugh at the words, and moved to curl onto his left side to face Ryou a bit.  “But I think your fever broke a bit.”

Lance hummed and nodded. 

His eyes sliding closed as Ryou continued to run his fingers through his hair.  He even reached out a hand to touch Ryou’s leg, and lazily moved his fingers against his the outside of his thigh.  If it was an attempt to comfort Ryou or himself, Ryou didn’t really know. Nor was he going to ask.

But for a moment Ryou let himself relax slightly for a bit.

Lance’s fever had gone down.  It wasn’t gone, Ryou wasn’t going to completely relax until it was gone.  But it was definitely in a lower, more acceptable range. Like Lance just had a regular human cold, where Ryou didn’t have to constantly cool him down, or worry about leaving him alone too long.  Or panic if Lance got out of bed to do anything.

“I had a weird dream.”  Lance suddenly declared in the silence between them.

“I think you had many.”  Ryou returned smartly with a small smile.

“Probably, but this one happened just before I woke up it feels like.” Lance said with a small smack to Ryou’s leg.  And he peeled open one eye to shoot him a weak glare. “Blue and Red Lion were there. And it was kind of like the astral plane thing.  A bit trippy, but like fever dream, so think that’s like a standard. But they were there.”

“Oh,”  Ryou said tried to had his nerves at the idea.

“Yeah, they were there.”  Lance repeated as he rolled onto his back to look at Ryou more.  “And they could feel something was wrong or something, so they reached out.  I think at one point Keith and Allura showed up. We talked.”

“You talked to Allura and Keith?”  He asked gently, but his nerves were being to fray too much at the ends.

Lance shoot his head on the pillow.  “No, as quickly as they showed up, they flickered out.”  He said simply. “I didn’t say anything to them. But I talked to Red and Blue Lion.  They wanted to know where I was and find me, so they could take me to where I could get better.  Mama Lion’s both of them, if you ask me.” Lance added with a snicker as he looked up at Ryou. “But I told them not to come.  That I was okay, and everything was fine, just a little alien cold. Made them promise not to come here, or tell one where I was, unless I reached for any of them.  They agreed. So you don’t have to worry.”

“I think I’ll still worry.”  Ryou said as he moved a bit to shift closer to Lance.  “It’s the Shiro in me.” 

Lance snorted loudly.

“It was just a dream,  _ mi corazon.” _ Lance muttered lightly as he curled up towards Ryou.  “Just a dream. A weird one, but what fever dream isn’t weird.  But it totally didn’t happen. And if it did, they promised, and I know they’ll keep it.”  He continued before he yawned and let out a weak groan. “Let’s go to sleep, you look tired.”

And Ryou doesn’t really argue with the suggestion.

* * *

“Marry me.”  Ryou stated in a light demand.

Lance suddenly choked on his drink.  Nastily spitting half of it back in the cup he was drinking from, and dripping the rest on the floor and their bed.  He groaned in disgust for a moment, before he turned to wildly to where Ryou was lying there watching him..

“I’m sorry, I think I’m still riddled with fever and just became self aware in a fever dream.”  Lance snapped as he placed the glass down the little table by his side of the the bed. “Because... _ what?!” _

“Marry me.”  Ryou repeated simply.

“I...wha...uhh...You can’t just  _ say that _ !”  Lance huffed as he shifted to hid his fluttered expression.  “Especially, like that, looking like you do….so soon after…”

“Sex?”  Ryou asked playfully with a raised eyebrow.

A sneering grin growing on his lips.

He chuckled a bit at the sound Lance made in reply.  A sort of shushing squawk. Like the very word was going to make his mother materialize out of thin air and like catch them in the act.  An act they had already done twice that evening, and were easing into just settling for cuddling for a bit.

“Yes!”  Lance shrieked.  “It’s not proper edict...or something.”

“I think I’m allowed to do whatever I want.”  Ryou stated coolly as he shifted in the bed to be closer to Lance.  Kissing gently at the bare skin of his shoulder. “According to you, that is.”  He added as he ran his nose against Lance’s collarbone. “Make my own rules for myself.”

“You are wildly taking that out of context.”  Lance countered.

“Oh bite me.”  Ryou snapped in return.

“That can be arranged, Rye, and you know it.”

Ryou smirked against Lance’s skin before he lifted his head to look at him.  Moving his head to try and whip some of his shoulder length hair out of his face.  It doesn’t really work, but Lance took pity on him shoved it back with his right hand.

“So, marrying me.”  Ryou said with a sly grin.  “What do you say?”

“That this isn't really romantic.”  Lance huffed with a small shake of his head.  “What am I supposed to say if people ask, just ‘oh we were in bed winding down from sex, making up stories about characters we made up in a game’, that’s not a good story.  And you’re not properly asking me to do anything anyway, just telling me.”

“Ugh,  _ fine _ .”  Ryou huffed as he pulled himself closer and over Lance a bit more.  “Lance of Earth, Former Paladin of Voltron, my savior, who I love to the ends of the universe and back again, and with whom I have faced many trials and tribulations with, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

Lance peered up at him thoughtfully.

Pulling it as long as he could before he noticed Ryou’s impatience for an answer  creeping in.

But some of Ryou’s nerves most of crept through.  Because Lance suddenly moved to be a little straighter under Ryou.  Like he was truly catching on to the fact that Ryou was seriously asking him, and it wasn’t just some out of the blue thing he was saying for a reaction.

“Wait, are you serious?”  Lance asked suddenly.

Ryou nodded quickly, keeping his gaze fixed on Lance as moved to lift himself up at bit.

“Wha…”  Lance started to asked but dropped off.

However Ryou knew what was trying to ask.   _ What brought this on? _

“It’s been on my mind for a few phoebs.”  Ryou admitted as he turned his gaze to look at his own pillow beside them.  “Just a passing sort of thought for somewhere down the line the future. But when you got sick a couple weeks back, and I wasn’t sure what exactly was going to happen.  I don’t know, it put things in a different perspective, I guess. 

“A kind of life is short, we don’t know what is going to happen perspective.”  Ryou continued. “The Galra could show our door tomorrow, or they might  _ never _ show up.  Or just a whole collection of things could happen.  And if I didn’t ask you as soon as possible to marry me, I’d regret it.”  He paused before turned back. “So, will you marry me?”

Lance moved to capture Ryou’s lips softly, but passionately.

Pulling a more than pleased moan from him in process, before he eased back.  Lance stared down at with the loving soft expression he always did. The look that makes Ryou feel like he was made specifically for, screw everything else. 

Lance’s soft loving eyes and kind smile, and shining gentle nature fixed upon him.  

That was it, that was why he existed.

“Only if you marry me too.”  Lance answered after a beat.

A smile split against Ryou’s face.  “That’s not a problem.” He returned happily, before diving forwards to kiss his boyfriend.

No!  His  _ fiance. _

And their happy laughed filled the room as they cuddled in close.

* * *

As fate would have it, there was no quick way to getting married on Gran’djo.

No, sort of wondering down to the equivalent of a courthouse and eloping.  Or anything even remotely like that in the slightest. Not even like just having an ordained friend officiating like a small little thing planned rushingly one a weekend.   Nothing like that whatsoever.

There was only one way to go about do it.

A day long ceremony officiated by the community’s appointed elders, or in some cause important elders form the marrying parties lives.  Filled with few key rituals, to give and show the land their care for it and one another, so in turn the land would return such care to them.  Usually it’s a batched collection of individuals marrying whom they had chosen to, as usually the whole community dropped everything to bare witness to the ceremony and  celebrate the new unions.

And be that there were many things to plan and do.  A sort of elaborate drawn out timeline of things that needed to be done in just the right order.  So no one’s union is made in a rushed fashion, and individuals were best paired. Even though in the end, if things did not, perhaps line up as one might expect, a union could still be made.  As often best suited unions don’t make much logical sense.

Ryou supposed in a way, that was a good thing.

It didn’t curb his want to marry Lance as fast as he possibly could.  Nor did it curb Lances. Both of them, with how their lives, and own relationship had been, hadn’t wished to wait around to get married.

The Gran’djians seemed willing to make an exception for them when Lance and Ryou had started asking around about getting married.  

Everyone had assumed they were  _ already _ united in a union when they arrived.  They’re general closeness and the fact that they came together was enough for them to believe it was so, as well as leave both Lance and Ryou blushing.  So they didn’t mind accelerating a few things, and skipping over traditional spiritual things. Fast tracking the process.

But it still took  _ time. _

Nearly two phoebs of organizing things thing or that.  

Being fitted for traditional wedding garments.  Which were not much different from the everyday clothes of the Gran’djian people, just finer, silkier fabrics and leathers, cut to be more fitted and styled to an individual's body.  Creating a crest for their union to be presented to the elders. Organizing “grooming” appointments to fall accordingly near the date, but not far away to be too ruined by farm work.

Attending classes to learn the traditional dance done by the those in unions as such event.  Something that wasn’t hard, really, but still a task they had to do. Finding and crafting a totem to give to the other as a physical display of their marriage.  Finalizing one thing after the other, and securing a time for the whole community to bear witness.

As well as, work out ways to integrate Earthly traditions where they could. 

Something the elders had been more than willing to accommodated for when they asked.  Seeming more than honored to help figure out where to place them in the ceremony, and combine the two cultures.  Because Ryou and Lance didn’t necessarily have to  _ wed _ in the traditional ceremony, but they were choosing to.

And the slowdown it took from all of that had been unknowingly needed.

Ryou and Lance were not completely strangers to arguments.

Hard not to be when the first week of finding out Ryou was a clone, they argued nearly three times a day.  Tempers clashed meanly every so often in the time. And there had been other times, about little minor things here or there that had Lance and Ryou sleeping with their backs to the other.

Doubts and other thoughts had festered under their excited talks days after their engagement.  But they had ignored them in favor of deciding there was no time for them to dwindle. The sooner they could call the other ‘my husband’ the better.  

And in turn the manifested into other things.

Lance got short with Ryou about this or that on the farm.  Or snapped at the smallest suggestion that went against his own from Ryou.  He didn’t like any of the coloring of fabrics they were presented, or something like that, to the point of tearful frustration.

All of which was more to do with the fact that his family wouldn’t be there.

His family didn’t know he was getting married.  

They probably didn’t know he was happy, or healthy, or even alive.  Because he ran away on the whim of trying to help someone. Just left them to wonder what in the universe happened to him.  They probably thought he was dead or something, ignorant to the fact he was okay.

And it just wasn’t  _ fair _ .

Ryou had held Lance close, tucked him under his chin and as against him as he could manage and held him.  Apologized for falling through on his promise to see Lance was returned home. Doomed them to stay because Ryou was afraid of the Galra finding him.  And yeah it’s  _ wasn’t _ fair.

He soothed away the tears and sobbing mutters until it was all of Lance’s system.

For Ryou, his doubts and fears plagued his dreams.  All of them glaringly reminding him that he was a clone made by the Galra, and left him pulling away from Lance.  Having his lack of sleep shorten his temper towards things. Leaving him meanly snapping at Lance over minimal things, and storming off, before coming back to apologized after some space.

And he grew more frustrated with Lance’s attempts to soothe the bad clone thoughts that were filling him.  Telling him he didn’t deserve Lance and this or that. He didn’t want to hear any of what Lance had to say.

Until it just broke him one night.

He woke up screaming.  Scrambling for the feel of Lance’s pulse, the softness of his warm skin, and sound of his breathing.  All of which Lance had hurriedly given to him, as he eased him back into lying down. Spoke gently and combed his fingers through Ryou’s long hair, as he calmed down.  And it all just came out.

The fears and the doubts.  The fact that Lance was signing up to all of it.  Signing up to being a key to Ryou, or a tool to be used against him with the Galra ever found them.  Or rejection form his own friends for marrying Ryou. And Lance didn’t deserve that.

To which Lance had responded back to with a ‘ _ I don’t quaznacking care, Ryou _ .’

And for some reason it made Ryou laugh.  Laugh so hard it hurt his sides, as Lance joined into, before he continued to just write everyone off.  Before stated that it was a hurdle they would face together, like they had everything else that happened, and figure it out.

All of it made things easier to face.

“I’m going to miss you.”  Lance muttered lowly as he pushed up against Ryou’s forehead a bit.  His breath warm on Ryou’s fingers. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

“I know.”  Ryou returned simply.  “But I’ll just be right here at She’ma’s place.”

Lance whined pathetically as he pouted up at the words.  “Whose idea was this anyway?” He complained with a huff. 

“Yours.”  Ryou answered easily.

Lance whined again at the words.  Letting out a small cry of Ryou’s name that made him smile at the childish action.  He moved his hands to bring the back of Lance’s left hand to his lips. 

“It’s only for one night.”

“That’s too many.”  Lance returned quickly.

Ryou chuckled lightly at the words.  “You’re hunting trips are on average make you spend three nights away from me.  I think you’ll manage one night alone just fine.”

“It’s not the same.”  Lance countered as he pulled away from Ryou a bit to really pout up at him.  “I haven’t sleep without you by my side in a bed for a while. I won’t get any sleep and I’ll look terrible for tomorrow.”

“Doubt that.”  Ryou said with a smile as he tilted his head to side.  “It will be gone and over before you know it. I promise.”

“I’m going to miss you.”  Lance said again. 

Only this time with a heavy sigh of acceptance that he had to go.  Slowly willing himself to pull away from the closeness he had from Ryou.  Squeezing his hand tightly before he pulled his left one away.

“I’m going to miss you too.”  Ryou returned with a slight sadness in his voice.  

He turned his gaze to where Lance was still holding his hand.  Smiling a bit at his refusal to let go any sooner than necessary as he started to inch back.  Prolonging the contact as long as he possibly could.

“Take could care of him, She’ma”  Lance said as he turned to look to their neighboring Gran’djian standing just off to right of Ryou.  Calmly just watching them from her porch as her family bustled around inside the house loudly. “Don’t let his one arm fool you, he can be a handful.”

“Of course, of course.”  She said gently. Turning to give Ryou a pleasant grin on her aging face when he looked at her.  Her golden brown eyes soft, and dark brown eyes flickering on the top of her pastel pink hair. “It’s getting close to night time, you should get going, Lance.”  She urged at Lance when he turned back to him. “Best not chance bad luck of your peoples’ tradition on your union.”

“Right, yes, that’s a good point.”  Lance nodded as he turned to look up at the sky filled with the colors of the sunset as did do.  Before he turned back to Ryou “Why are we doing this again? It’s really dumb.”

“Lance.”  Ryou warned with a warm chuckle.

“Okay, okay, fine.  I’ll go, make the walk back to our house... _ alone _ .”  Lance said as slowly moved back.  “Where I’ll be all by myself...the whole time.  Just me...and the house...alone.” He paused and looked at Ryou, before he frowned again.  “It’s going to suck.”

“Yeah, I know, but there’s not guilting your way out of this.”  Ryou said with a huff. “You wanted this silly tradition, you made the bed, now go lie in it by yourself.”

“One last kiss?”  Lanced asked.

He grinned widely when Ryou nodded.  Leaning down to eagerly meet Lance as he threw his arms around him for one last kiss.  Which ends up being like two or three because he kept asking for just one more. And Ryou was never one to truly deny him.

She’ma cleared her throat to the right suddenly.  

Looking apologetic when they turned to her, before she gestured to the darkening sky.   Before moving to shoo Lance on his way back home. Urging him to hurry away and out of sight of Ryou before night fell upon them.  Gently guiding him away and off the porch, only letting him have the smallest of goodbyes to Ryou before he left.

She’ma laughed lightly as the younger took to running down the path to the road, before she moved to stand behind Ryou.  By the way she looked, Ryou knew she was tracking Lance in the coming dark to make sure he made his way home. 

Something Ryou found himself not anxious about for some reason. 

Lance alone in their house for one night.  The possibility of being found still lingering in the air like it always did every night.  It strangely doesn’t him bother him as much as he thought it would. And Ryou was more than okay with that for once.

“I don’t understand the point of this tradition.”  She’ma commented lightly as she moved to direct Ryou inside after a moment.  

As if to insure Lance wouldn’t see them if he tried to sneak back around just one last time.  Something Ryou didn’t doubt for a moment that Lance would try. Because it wasn’t exactly as literal as She’ma was making it out to be.

“It’s old.”  Ryou started with a shrug as he let She’ma guide him into her home with her family.  “And usually relatively pointless now a days, in regards to the original purpose I suppose, but what can you do.”  She’ma still frowned at the words. “It’s fine, trust me. There is a saying on Earth; ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder.’  Plus Lance is being dramatic.”

She’ma hummed for a moment before she nodded. 

“I’ll take your word for it.”  She commented with a smile.

* * *

Ryou was...nervous.

No, that wasn’t the right word for what he was feeling.  

He wasn’t sure if there  _ was _ a single right word that could full express what he was feeling.  Because it felt like a whole mix of things at one. A whole collection of buzzing inside his bones, skin, and belly, all happening at once.  And yet...not happening...in a way.

Perhaps this was why it was called pre-wedding jitters.

Because it wasn’t just one emotion happening, it was everything.  

It was so easy for Ryou to work himself up one emotional way or another.  And it was just as easy to calm himself down with a similar or same reason that was causing him to getting worked up.  There was just an energy inside him that kept manifesting, desperate for a way out, before settling some.

Ryou fiddled with the silken fabric draped and fastened to his right shoulder.  

A beautifully dark purple lined with golden thread, which was bold against the black and dark gray fabrics of his wedding shirt.  Fashioned to both hide his lack of an arm, and highlight it at the same time. If he still had his Galra prosthetic, or any prosthetic in  _ general _ , the outfit would be fashioned to display it, as it was a part of him worth present as Ryou’s physical being.  A sort of show of conquest and overcoming obstacles.

A rather poetic thing for the Gran’djian’s to do.

It had been explained, all wedding outfits are like that.  No one being could wear the same wedding outfit. Each was designed to personally fit the individual.  Positively designs to highlight the shape and physic of anyone being to this highest possible means.

Ryou took a breath to calm himself.

He was marrying Lance today.

It was happening.  

Everything was put in place.  

She’ma had helped tie his hair in a high ponytail, and fasten the clasp on his back that he couldn’t reach.  Her family, her, and it seemed half the town, had done everything they could to insure Lance and Ryou never crossed paths or saw each other  _ once _ before the wedding.  She’ma had long since left him along the end of the canyon path that let the way to the altar.   Leaving with very strict instructions to wait for the double beat of the drums before moving to approach the path before, she joined the rest of the town to bear witness to the union.

Ryou knew Lance was somewhere beyond the bend waiting just like he was.

It was something the Gran’djians had taken very seriously after they asked.

Usually perspective unions approached the ceremony together.  Walked the line to the alter a top the cliff as one unit. 

But it had been altered when Lance said on Earth spouses-to-be usually didn’t see each other before the wedding, as it was considered to be bad luck. It was almost comical how quickly everyone worked to arrange a way for it to happen as such.  So it had been arranged to Lance and Ryou to join each other at the usual base once the ceremony had begun, and enter together.

It was just a waiting game really.

But then…

_ Bum-bum! _

The double beat of the drums.

The sound made Ryou jump a bit in surprise, and stirred the buzzing him to awake with a new wave of everything.  It was happening. His heartbeat almost in a similar rhythm to of the drums. Ryou know at some point Lance was probably going to make some comment about Gran’djians having a good feel for a drum roll.   Because it kept going in rapid pace, and so did his heart. 

No calming breath could ease it as he rounded the bend and…

Saw Lance doing the same on the other side.

And it was like everything was washed over with a calm.

Lance smiled at him gently as they kept approaching the base of central sloping path to the altar.  

Dressed in fabrics of shades of blues, whites, and bits of red and brown.  All relatively form fitting, yet loose at the same time, doing everything to show the lines and shape of his body.  Sculpted to him, with not a line out of place. A sleeve on his left arm ended above the hand shaped scar there, and a long arm piece of the same material ended just below it.  A stunning sight all of it that Ryou couldn’t look away from as he approached.

Lance doesn’t look like any one bit tired or drained.  Relieved to see Ryou ago, for sure, but like nothing else had bared any effect on him.

He looked so perfect and put together.

Seeing him made everything perfect and calm.

Like magic.

And Ryou was going to marry him.

“Hey,”  Lance said as they meet in the middle.

“Hey to you too.”  Ryou return.

Lance’s smile widened, and he huffed a bit of a laugh.  Reaching up a hand to Ryou’s cheek and swiping his thumb under Ryou’s eye.  “Oh,  _ mi corazon, _ I didn’t take you to be the crying type.”  Lance ushered slightly, as he reached up to do the same action with his other hand.  

“You look so perfect...”  Ryou breath with a sniffled laugh, as he realizes, yes he was crying.  “I can’t help it.”

“Well I don’t know about perfect.”  Lance returned as he blushed and shyly turned to look away.  “I have one bit of hair that just...won’t listen, and I don’t think my shirt is laying right, and...um...I think I rock might be in my boot...and--”

“You look perfect.”  Ryou repeated firmly as he moved to grab Lance’s chin to make him look back at him.  Leaning down to steal a small kiss from his lips. “I have to be the luckiest clone in the universe.”

“I’m going to let you have that one, just this once, because I am clearly the luckiest man in the universe.”  Lance whispered gently in their closeness, before Ryou pulled away. Ryou can’t help but snort at the comment.  “You look nice too, by the way.”

“Just nice?”  Ryou asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Stunningly perfect.”  Lance clarified with a grin.

_ Bum-bum! _

The double beat of the drums sounded again, causing both Lance and Ryou to look towards the sound.  Up the sloping path, where they couldn’t really see anything over the cap. The impatience in the beats, like they had missed the cue to begin.

“I think…”  Ryou started as he turned back to Lance.

Lance just nodded in understanding.  His hand slipping into Ryou’s easily.

“Ready to get married?”  Lance asked with a soft look to his face.

“Only if you are.”  Ryou returned.

And together they started walking up the path.  

Catching She’ma and Tat’ik peek over the cusp of the slope to see what was happening.  Quickly darting back to their places once they realized Lance and him were advancing up.  There was no missed  _ second _ cue.  Out of the corner of his eyes, Ryou could see Lance shake his head and he giggled slightly.

They reached to top of the path not to long after.  Everyone from town was gather a top the circular and encompassed cliff.  All standing parted to show the clear path to the old altar made of stones stacked together long before Ryou and Lance every even had the flicker of existence, and set like a stage overlooking a spanse of the town and it’s lands.  The Council of Elected Elders standing in waiting for them to approach.

Lance give Ryou’s hand a squeeze, before they continued to base. 

Together they bowed before the elders.  Raising to all of them grinning at them kindly with their aged eyes.  Each of them looking at them proudly and softly. As if they were perhaps their own children or grandchildren.

“Welcome everyone,”  The Head Elder of the Council, Hi’ru, started in a loud voice.  “Today we have joined to bare witness to a new union. Though not of any one born child of our community, but rather two gifted to us from beyond that we have adopted.”  He declared softly. “Hardships of war drove them here to our peace and care. And even wounded land had returned their efforts of care and hard work. We have welcomed them with open arms, and now will bare witness to the creation of their union as members of our community.”

The crowd cheered and applauded behind them happily.

Ryou turned to Lance with a loving look.  Finding Lance to do the same as the elders held up their hands to silence the crowd.  

“Now let us begin.”  Hi’ru stated, as he motioned to Tat’ik to his left.  Watching as she turned to collect one of the many bowls from the altar.  “Within this bowl is rocks from your farm. Each of you are to select one, whichever speaks to you, and go to the edge to toss it over. “  He instructed.

Tat’ik present the bowl to Ryou first.  

He grabbed a one of the larger rocks, and a rather out of shape form.  No doubt one of the rocks Lance and him usually dug up when they were clearing rows for their crops bit by bit.  Placed a side to be used whenever they found something to do with them.

Ryou watched as Tat’ik did the same to Lance.  Watching him select a simple rock with was looked like more thought that Ryou.  Something no one really paid any mind.

The Council of Elders gestured for them to go to the ledge.  Parting ways for both of them to approach the small railing on the edge.  Each going on a seperate side of the altar as they had been instructed so many times before.  Stopping just close enough to the edge to see the collection of small rocks below. Years and years of marriage ceremonies, and countless rocks being tossed over.  

They wait until Hi’ru beings to explain the significance of the ritual in the ceremony.  Something to do with throwing their part of their past as two separate individuals away. Not erasing it, but returning a part to the land like many before them.  To move forward. To show a willingness give parts of themselves, not only to land, but each other in any forms it may take. Something Lance snorted at slightly, while Ryou gave him a look.  As well as joining the foundation of other unions in the community for the future unions to come.

Together, both Lance and Ryou threw the rocks over.

Watching them fall and land in the pile.  Landing far away from each other. Ryou’s nearly rolling towards the bottom of the pile.  While Lance’s bounced about before settling in a well of larger rocks. But where and how they landed wasn’t the point of the display, according to Hi’ru when they turned back around.  

They returned to the front of the altar and the council.

From there, Hi’ru and the other elders began a speech of sort.  

It was long, and Ryou was sure he retained half of what they all said.  But it was nothing more than a recap of who they were as individuals. Or at least what the Gran’djians knew about them.

Gran’djo had whispers of Voltron.  Old stories, that were for the most part myths at this point.  But is was more than enough for Ryou and Lance to keep their mouths shut about who they once were. 

They never lied.  They were warriors that had fled the pressures and stress of war in the wake of a betrayal and a lie, feared it all finding them again.  Worried perhaps, at times if it was the  _ right _ choice, but never regretting it.  But returning wasn’t much of an option for them.

Because well, okay, Lance maybe lied about their ship crashing.  And that being how Ryou lost his arm. 

But that was it.

It was nice though.  

The elders focused more on their time on the planet, then what they knew about before.  It was just over 2 decaphoebs and they had a farm growing produce again. A broken home being fixed up, and lived in.  Build a new structure over a crack in the land. Admittedly done some dumb things with the planet’s nature. Something perhaps to be expected on a world and home not their own.  But did ultimately learned from everything around them, and grown together.

And none of them were going to find any reason for them not to be joined.

Then Hi’ru gestured to the two elders to his right, Ral and Ka’ar.  Both of them moving to each grab a bowl from the table. Each smaller than the one with the rocks, and filled with a paint like substance.  They move to hand the one with a soft pastel purple to Ryou and the one with blue to Lance. 

“Usually, these bowls are filled with the colors of the each individual hair colors,” Hi’ru spoke up when the two other elders returned to their spots.  “But as, I am sure you all can see,...” He continued making a gesture towards both Lance and Ryou. A wave of laughter washed ver the crowd, as Hi’ru lowered them.  “So their colors were freely selected by Lance and Ryou themselves. But mean no less than usual.”

“And given their lack of Tri’gi marks,”  Tat’ik added likely. “They have some permission of freehanding.”  Then she motioned for them to begin with the rest of the elders.

Lance gently, but quickly, took the bowl from Ryou’s hand.  Taking it into his own left hand. All with a declaration that he knows usually it’s done at the same time.  But Ryou’s lack of second arm made that feat a little difficult, so they would take turns. Before he turned to faced Ryou, stating his face was his canvas.  A statement that caused everyone to laugh, while Ryou shook his head at him.

But carefully Ryou dipped his index and middle fingers into his light purple paint.  Carefully doing his best not to drip on anything as he brought his hand up to Lance’s face.  Dragging his finger down the center of Lance’s forehead to the middle of his eyebrows. Then moved to painting stripe like lines along the rest of his face.  Dipping his hand in his point bowl whenever needed, until Lance’s face was covered in the stripe like pattern of the Gran’djians on his face.

Stealing a small and quick kiss on the lips and nose when he’s down.  

Much to Lance’s cute little gasp and giggle.

Ryou took his bowl from Lance to free his hands to do the same to his face.

Lance put his bowl of blue paint in his left hand, and dipped with his right.  Also being careful not to drip any on anything. He started at Ryou’s chin, and worked his way clockwise around Ryou’s face.  Adorably sticking his tongue out a bit as he thought about the work as he put in to the designs he was doing. Before he swiped a streak of blue across the scar across Ryou’s nose. 

Once Lance was satisfied with his work, he too followed Ryou’s idea of stealing a kiss or two.

Then they both turned to place their bowls of pant one the small tables that had been set up for them.  Grabbing the small trays that were covered with a delicate cloth covering it.

Usually the ceremony involved family members holding and presenting the next part to them.  However the whole hiding on an alien planet thing made that a little hard. But the Gran’djians had easily thought of a work around, since neither of them wanted anyone to be a stand in.

Ryou gave Lance an apologetic smile as he turned back around.  Something he returned with a small shrug, Ryou knew meant it was fine in a way.  

“Now, each member of this union with present their totems to each other.”  Hi’ru declared. “As well as reciting the Oath of Union, which we know, is usually done in the previous part.  But wedding traditions of Earth have a similar exchange in to the following.”

Lance looked at Ryou, visibly taking a deep breath.

Before he pulled back the cloth on his tray.  To review a simple silver metal ring on long, thin leather braided cord.  He carefully moved to lift from the tray, before tucking the tray under his arm.  Ryou bowed before him, so he could place it around his neck.

“Our union is to be what we put into.  It will return what we put in. Care will return care.  Love will return love. Kindness will return kindness. Anger will return anger. Pain will return pain.”  Lance stated as he placed the totem around Ryou’s neck, and made sure it sat nicely. “Just like the land, what is put in will help bear fruit, and what is given will be returned in the end. It is a cycle.  Nurtured and cared for will last to overcome all hardships, neglected it will crumble.” Lance continued before he took a step back a fraction. “Our union will be strong.”

Ryou straightened up from his bow.  

He smiled down necklace totem Lance had given him.  The silver of the ring pendant stood out against the black and grays of his shirt.  The cord the perfect length to be in line with his heart.

Lance choose in a totem wasn’t surprising.  

Especially given that Ryou had chosen a similar thing as well.  But given rings are rather associated with marriage back on Earth.  Seemed natural that they would both gravitate towards incorporating the idea when the idea was first explained to them.

Ryou held out his tray slightly, and Lance quickly moved to take hold of it.  So Ryou could remove to cloth to reveal a similar totem to the one he had just received.  Only the ring is black. Taken from spare leftover bits of his old prosthetic. It was perhaps a little dark in terms of things, but part of it felt right, and they only laying around waiting to be given a use in something.

Carefully he lifted the necklace, as he ignored the smirk Lance was giving him before he bowed.  Ryou rolled his eyes slightly at the action. But then carefully placed the necklace over Lance’s head.

“Our union is to be what we put into.  It will return what we put in. Care will return care.  Love will return love. Kindness will return kindness. Anger will return anger. Pain will return pain.”  Ryou declared softly as he rested the leather cord on the back of Lance’s collar. Doing his best not to get distracted by the fact that Lance’s shirt is rather backless to show off the scar from the explosion he save Coran from.  “Just like the land, what is put in will help bear fruit, and what is given will be returned in the end. It is a cycle. Nurtured and cared for will last to overcome all hardships, neglected it will crumble.” Ryou continued as he took the tray from Lance, and stepped back.  “Our union will be strong.”

Ryou smiled as Lance straightened back up.  Loving the huge grin that was growing on Lance’s face, before they turned around to return their trays to their little tables.  Which were hurriedly taken away by someone.

When Ryou turned back, Hi’ru was standing before them with a long silken cloth like ribbon resting in his hands.  Golden in color, and lined with delicate blue and purple stick work. He stepped forward from his stop, moving off the steps of the altar’s stage to stand before them with a kind old smile.

He motioned for their arms.

Ryou easily putting out his left one.  

Smiling warming when Lance did the same with his right.  Only moving it on the inside of Ryou’s arm to lace their fingers together.  He squeezed Lance’s hand, as Hi’ru rested the ribbon on their wrists.

“This ribbon is a symbol of your union binding and tying each of you together.”  Hi’ru explained gentle. “You have declared the Oath of Union, so you know what is put in, will return.  Neither will receive something that isn’t first put in.” Hi’ru explained as he began to wrap the ribbon around their forearms and over their intertwined hands.  “And this is just the beginning, a seedling, that is both hardy and delicate. You both must care for it, and see to its growth. May the land and skies watch over the care in times of good and times of bad.  For no burden will be too much if the union is strong.” He stated as he tied to the knot of the ribbon over their wrists where he first laid the ribbon. “Do you both accept this task?”

“Yes.”  Lance and Ryou say together.

“Very well,”  Hi’ru said with a nod.  “Please present the crest of your union.”

Lance turned to spin around quickly, seeming to forget their hands were tried together.  He turned back sheepishly when Lance gave a small sound of surprised at the action. Everyone chuckling at their slight fumble already.

But he easily moves so Ryou can turn more easily to where another small table had been places beside them.  The potter smith having laid out the clay seal that created weeks back. It all fired and ready to be presented.  The rough edges and lines Lance had drawn in the clay, were smoothed out more defined.

The seal looked like an ocean scene.  Childish drawn waves, along with a diamond like attempt at a star, lines bursting out from it.  Lance and Ryou had both confessed to not have the  _ greatest _ of artistic abilities on paper, let alone clay.  But they done a decent job of hiding the Voltron V they had started with.  And no one of Gran’djo was questioned what was on it beyond what they were told.

The Ocean and the Sun.

Lance and Ryou.

Carefully, Lance grabbed the small circular slab from the table.  Balancing it on their tied arms, before they turned back around.

Together they bowed before the elders as they presented it.  

Hi’ru take it will a small hum.  Turning around to show the others, who all hum and seem to accept it.  Before he moves to rejoin them before the altar. Setting the seal down on the altar, the cue for Lance and Ryou to straighten back up.

“Now, the union ceremony of your union is almost complete.”  Hi’ru declared as he looked down at them with a warm smile. “You have ask for a common Earth tradition to solidify it.  So before, we declare your union official, you may now kiss your spouse.”

Ryou swallowed the small sound he wanted to make.  

That wasn’t how it really worked, but it was probably the closest they were going to get. So he wasn’t about to start correcting anyone.  Nor would he probably be able to with how quick Lance moved to lean into his ear, disguising the action with a one armed hug.

“Til death do us part.”  He whispered quickly.

“Til death do us part.”  Ryou returned in a whispered.

Then they pulled back slightly.  Just enough room to for them to excitedly dive back in for a kiss and not clash to hard.  All their excitement and joy bursting out of them to meet with the other as deeply as possible.

The whole crowd instantly cheering at the action. 

Drums instantly starting up in an excitable beat as they began to pull apart.

“The union is complete!”  Hi’ru declared loudly over it all.  “Let us celebrated with the newly united, until the dew plants begin.  And let this new union lead the way to the festivities.” 

Instantly the crowd part again, to clear path back to the slope they had taken to get there. A handful of them already dancing to the beats of the drums as they did so.  All of them encouraging Lance and Ryou to lead the way back to town so they could all celebrate and party in. Feasting and dancing together.

Ryou turned to look at his husband.  Giving his hand a soft gentle squeeze, and adoring the wide smile he got in return.

Together the turned and led the way.

Ready to face the party and festivities that were awaiting them and the whole community.  All the eating, drinking, and dancing they were all itching for to celebrate the moment.

Read to face anything and everything together.

**Author's Note:**

> So Ta-da.
> 
> I hope you really enjoyed this, it really became a monster of a fic to write and I love it. I wanted to explore the beginings of their relationships and getting up their farm up and running. At the end of this it is still not done, but it's getting there. Try to short of explore their troubles a bit...but really this whole thing was kind of vehicle for the first kiss scene. But it also allowed me to explore Ryou's issues a bit.
> 
> He really is a sweet soul that just loves Lance so much. I was able to slip few headcanons in here that I have for them, but not all. Like the fact that they kiss every time to Ma'ite Bira blooms (and usually dance under the petals and just be in love) Also the fact that I think they make up stories about Pike and Gyro sometimes. And Ryou has a since of humor similar to Shiro's before Keberos. And they do pretty constantly live in fear of being found, but they manage it well enough most of the time. How I almost put Shiro in Red Lion in the first to fics
> 
> Also, Lance really did speak with Red and Blue lion when he was sick. His fever dream was literally them pulling him into the astral planes because they could feel he was really in danger of not making it. (It was in the middle of the battle so that's why Allura and Keith were briefly pulled in). Which is why they refused to go to Gran'djo in Like a Spark in the Night, because they promised Lance they wouldn't go to him unless he called out to them.
> 
> Originally I was going to continue you this till they found their kids, but that would have made this way longer. So I decided to end at their wedding. (I wrote a scene after it, but deleted it because I didn't like, and re did the end a bit.) I might do a fic about how their children came into their care, but that will likely be somewhere down the line, and probably after I do like an epilogue piece with the paladins on the farm.
> 
> Here is the timeline of this fic ->  
> Ryou waking up - 1 week after they left the Castleship/Voltron  
> The medicine scene in the house - 1 week after   
> Ryou picking his name - 1phoeb/month after being there.  
> Scene on the porch - about 2 to 3 phoebs after  
> Finishing the Barn floor/First kiss - 6 phoebs after arriving  
> Ryou admitting his feelings - about 1 phoeb later  
> Second Ma'ite Bira bloon - 5 phoebs later  
> Lance was sick - 5-7 phoebs after   
> Engagement - about 2 phoebs from leaving the Voltron - about 2 weeks form when Lance was sick  
> The night before the wedding - 2 decaphoebs and like 1-2 phoebs - 2 Phoebs from engagement   
> Lance and Ryou's wedding ceremony - 2 decaphoebs and like 1-2 phoebs
> 
> Also, I know I never mentioned the totems in the first two fics, but they did have them. I just didn't really think of them until after. But I can argue the wear them all the time it is just like a part of them/they were hidden under shirts/ the Paladins didn't see them as signs of marriage. So like don't @ me okay. I did my best to keep what was mentioned in the first to fics the same.
> 
> If you have any questions, you can ask me in the comments or on my Tumbr - mizu-writes-kumo
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this!


End file.
